Rubber matting smell

We have a desk in the spare bedroom that my wife wants to use as a hobby desk. We got some of this ribbed rubber matting

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to put on the desk top and it's brilliant, it does the job it needs to do perfectly - the only problem is that it stinks.

If the door is closed, the smell of rubber is almost overwhelming when you first go in the room but if we leave the door open the smell permeates around the whole house so, does anyone know how to make rubber smell less like rubber?

TIA

Reply to
Steve
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Leave it outside for a while. The "new rubber" smell dissipates after a month or two, whether inside or out. I don't know of ny way to neutralise it, unfortunately, as my new bike tyres are currently stinking out the kitchen, though it's gettnig better.

Reply to
John Williamson

Bicarbonate of soda .. sprinkle some on the desk (or other flat surface) leave the mat on overnight, turn over and do the same again. Shake excess off and use, possibly with a thin sprinkling on the desktop before putting the mat back on.

SHould help, though tbh if it's _that_ smelly it might never really clear.

We have similar in an entrance way and can't get rid of the smell, though in another entrance it's fine! I can only guess that rubber, being basically organic, has the smell built-in and built-in to last .. ;)

Reply to
Paul - xxx

It is a time thing. One of our customers tried everything from GUNK to pressure washer. Ended up leaving his mats in an open shed for a month. As far as I'm aware it comes from the substance used to release the rubber from it's casting mold (mold release) ventilation to allow the residue to "vapour off". Might be a week, might be several months. It WILL go completely but will take time and ventilation, so if you shut the door leave a window open.

:¬)

Reply to
www.GymRatZ.co.uk

Thanks everyone, we'll just grin and bear it then :-)

Reply to
Steve

Is it a rubber smell or more like creosote? I bought a mousemat and took it back as it smelled the house out, even after leaving it in an outside shed for three weeks. Is this a new way of treating rubber?

Reply to
Jim S

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