Getting rid of Creosote smell

[ARWadsworth]

I tried to soak some wood in buckets of creosote substiute in the spare bedroom for a day before fitting them. The shed was full, I have no garage and it was raining.

It seemed a good idea at the time.

Without going into details the fact is some was spilt on the floor by someone else. The spare bedroom has no carpet and now the kitchen below and the spare bedroom smell. Any ideas how to speed up the drying process. I have thought about hair dryers or fan heaters with lots of ventilation. The kitchen ceiling is no problem as it is due to come down this year anyway so I can remove some plasterboard now.

Adam

[John]

I could come round and just sniff it up. I absolutely adore the smell of creosote About 38 years ago we used to sneak into the groundsman's shed at school for a sniff of the stuff :o)

John

[Chris J Dixon]

Second only to fresh tarmac ;-)

Chris

[Jim S]

Isn't it illegal now, because it is carcinogenic?

[Owain]

Deodorising cat litter. Lots of it, over/inside everything that was spilt.

Owain

[Stuart Noble]

This is "creosote substitute". If it was the original stuff, it really would be a problem. Last time I used it, it stank the whole street out.

I imagine the smell is just the solvent, probably white spirit. Tell "someone else" to pack her bags :-)

[Andrew Gabriel]

Replacing the timber affected.

That's probably why he said he was using creosote substiute.

[John Rumm]

The keyword in the OP is "substiute" i.e. not real creosote...

(although you can still legally get it in industrial quantities IIUC).

[Jim S]

Oops :o)

[ARWadsworth]

I have 8 bags of that in the shed, one of the reasons I had to use the bedroom to soak the posts.

I am throwing the cat litter down 5 minutes from now.

Adam

[ARWadsworth]

There was a previous lifted floorboard, no T&G. Poured a load of cat ltter down that as well now I have lifted it. I might kick some plasterboard out if the smell stays.

Adam

[FKruger]

or diesel from an ice cream van.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Sounds like the stained area might be quite easily replaced.

[Peter Twydell]

In message , FKruger writes

or the smoke etc from a steam engine passing under the bridge you're standing on.

[tony sayer]

In article , Peter Twydell writes

Oh!, Yes!, perfume of the gods smoke and steam!. Remember a few years ago one day when the Union of South Africa was doing some trips on the London to Liverpool street line, and as I was near Whittlesford station climbed onto the footbridge there for a whiff of that:--))

transformed back to childhood days in seconds:)

As to the creosote?, simple, burn the place down!, then you'll get rid of it!. Serious stink that, seems to me that you might have to replace the bit of floor that it spilt on.. Remember doing my dads old sheds with that some 45 odd years ago and it still stinks well, especially on hot days, never seems to go away!...

[Owain]

petrol genny running a candy-floss machine

Owain

[tony sayer]

Nah!, Diesel genny and hot dog stall at a fairground;))

[ARWadsworth]

I think the biggest problem is most (and it was not a vast amount) of the creosote substitue ran down the gap where this floorboard had been lifted. It is the joist and plasterboard that got the soaking. The staining is not a problem if the smell goes, as it is quite a small area and carpets will be fitted at a later date.

And the cat litter really does seem to be working along with the floorboard being lifted to let things ventilate. Thanks for that cat litter idea Owain.

Adam

[ARWadsworth]

My girlfriend called round this morning and said "What's that smell?, it's so sexy"

I cannot win

Adam

[Owain]

You're welcome. Just keep it away from the cats as AFAIK creosote is extremely toxic to them.

Owain