Getting smell out of cupboard

[spunko 15,119]

I have a cupboard in my office that is new, well I say new it's about 6 months old now. Everything I put in it absolutely stinks. Even the plastic cups that I use for coffee (sorry Greta) have the smell impregnated on them after a while. I don't know why it smells so strongly, you can't smell it unless you open it up. It seems to be the varnish or treatment used in the third-world shithole where it originates from.

How do I get rid of the smell? I have tried leaving all the drawers/doors open, using this silicone gel ball things (I know they're for moisture), wiping it all down with soapy water.

[onlyme 5,134]

4 hours ago, spunko said:

I have a cupboard in my office that is new, well I say new it's about 6 months old now. Everything I put in it absolutely stinks. Even the plastic cups that I use for coffee (sorry Greta) have the smell impregnated on them after a while. I don't know why it smells so strongly, you can't smell it unless you open it up. It seems to be the varnish or treatment used in the third-world shithole where it originates from.

How do I get rid of the smell? I have tried leaving all the drawers/doors open, using this silicone gel ball things (I know they're for moisture), wiping it all down with soapy water.

Baking Soda in a dish/tray is first point of call for a cheap and simple solution,.

[Kurt Barlow 3,285]

On 08/09/2019 at 11:08, spunko said:

I have a cupboard in my office that is new, well I say new it's about 6 months old now. Everything I put in it absolutely stinks. Even the plastic cups that I use for coffee (sorry Greta) have the smell impregnated on them after a while. I don't know why it smells so strongly, you can't smell it unless you open it up. It seems to be the varnish or treatment used in the third-world shithole where it originates from.

How do I get rid of the smell? I have tried leaving all the drawers/doors open, using this silicone gel ball things (I know they're for moisture), wiping it all down with soapy water.

Formaldehyde (it will be stripping away your myelin). 

Warm the fucker up as much as you can to get it to outgass in a well ventilated area. 

[sarahbell 7,763]

Cut an onion in half and put it inside the cupboard. Works for wet paint smell.

[Carl Fimble 6,987]

What about painting the inside of the cupboard, apparently odour blocking paints are available, painting it with PVA (white school glue) might work too, should do in fact, you just want to seal the inside. 

 

[The Grey Man 1,869]

Charcoal.

Cheap and works.

[The XYY Man 11,190]

Stop pissing and shitting in it you dirty Southern cunt...!

 

XYY

[spunko 15,119]

I realised as soon as I saw your name/photo on the homepage next to "Getting smell out of...", that I've set myself up here.

[Mirror Mirror 1,554]

On 08/09/2019 at 12:08, spunko said:

I have a cupboard in my office that is new, well I say new it's about 6 months old now. Everything I put in it absolutely stinks. Even the plastic cups that I use for coffee (sorry Greta) have the smell impregnated on them after a while. I don't know why it smells so strongly, you can't smell it unless you open it up. It seems to be the varnish or treatment used in the third-world shithole where it originates from.

How do I get rid of the smell? I have tried leaving all the drawers/doors open, using this silicone gel ball things (I know they're for moisture), wiping it all down with soapy water.

Depends what the smell is.

If its formaldehyde, as alluded to by KB, and is likely as its commonly used in the production of laminated furniture, then it might be best to bite the bullet and get rid of the cupboard. The smell will persist for a long time as its coming from the resins used to glue the wood / laminates together and formaldehyde fumes are linked to irritation of the mucous membranes, allergies, headaches, asthma, and some cancers, indeed it has been classifies as a known carcinogen.

If its something else then there are several good sugestions here, charcoal for instance or try an ozone generator.

[spunko 15,119]

On 06/10/2019 at 15:45, Mirror Mirror said:

Depends what the smell is.

If its formaldehyde, as alluded to by KB, and is likely as its commonly used in the production of laminated furniture, then it might be best to bite the bullet and get rid of the cupboard. The smell will persist for a long time as its coming from the resins used to glue the wood / laminates together and formaldehyde fumes are linked to irritation of the mucous membranes, allergies, headaches, asthma, and some cancers, indeed it has been classifies as a known carcinogen.

If its something else then there are several good sugestions here, charcoal for instance or try an ozone generator.

It might be formaldehyde, is there a way to find out what that smells like? According to Google, it's "hard to explain the smell".

[onlyme 5,134]

18 hours ago, spunko said:

It might be formaldehyde, is there a way to find out what that smells like? According to Google, it's "hard to explain the smell".

Pickles or acetic acid looks like it is the nearest description, so certainly acidic.

[Mirror Mirror 1,554]

18 hours ago, spunko said:

It might be formaldehyde, is there a way to find out what that smells like? According to Google, it's "hard to explain the smell".

Well, its hard to describe... Its a pungent smell, but I cant really do any better than that, sorry.

Do you know a taxidermist? They use formalin, which is a 10% solution of formaldehyde in water, to preserve tissues. Or maybe you could buy a small quantity of formalin (eBay?) to check it out?

[spunko 15,119]

1 hour ago, Mirror Mirror said:

Well, its hard to describe... Its a pungent smell, but I cant really do any better than that, sorry.

Do you know a taxidermist? They use formalin, which is a 10% solution of formaldehyde in water, to preserve tissues. Or maybe you could buy a small quantity of formalin (eBay?) to check it out?

Just bought a £.120 sample of formalin, will report back. It does smell vinegar-y so I suspect it is this.

 

[onlyme 5,134]

4 minutes ago, spunko said:

Just bought a £.120 sample of formalin, will report back. It does smell vinegar-y so I suspect it is this.

 

Wash down internals with bicarb then as a start, allow to dry, then maybe use a varnish or similar to seal  the smell in. 

Might be better off ditching the cupboard though or returning it.

[spunko 15,119]

1 minute ago, onlyme said:

Wash down internals with bicarb then as a start, allow to dry, then maybe use a varnish or similar to seal  the smell in. 

Might be better off ditching the cupboard though or returning it.

I've started wondering actually if it's the flooring which I laid a few days before (engineered oak). The cupboard has 48 reviews and not one mentions the smell , which is strange as it's so overpowering.

[onlyme 5,134]

3 hours ago, spunko said:

I've started wondering actually if it's the flooring which I laid a few days before (engineered oak). The cupboard has 48 reviews and not one mentions the smell , which is strange as it's so overpowering.

Could well be, have you got a piece spare? If so put it in a sealed container somewhere warm, that will increase the off-gassing if it is present Then open the container a few days later in a still area where there is no smell, that should tell you 100% if it is the flooring, well doesn;t rule out cupboard as well I suppose.

 

In original post you did say the cupboard contents including plastics reeked of it - doe the cupboard have a floor - if so I think the cupboard it still most likely. Formaldehyde could be in the glues/binders for the cupboard wood or flooring.  

Edited October 9, 2019 by onlyme