OT: How to get an odor out of a container

Hi Nora, I would wash it out with hot water and use a bit of baking soda in your wash water, dry it and let it sit outside, open for a day or so. Now put some dried lavender with your wool in your box. It should be fine, after that

Els

Piggy-backing to suggest newspapers. Stuff the container full of crumpled newspapers, and close the lid. Leave it for a day or two. Repeat until odour is gone.

HTH Katherine

But also go back to the store and sniff the other ones. If they don't smell oily, consider trying for an exchange.

=Tamar

True, Tamar, and that one makes the most sense. DOn't know why I didn't think of that!

Katherine

Hi Ladies,

Thanks for the tips. It must have gotten something spilled in it as I can see an oily mark right in the middle of the bottom. DH said not to worry, go bye another one and use this one in the attic to store something. I did try washing it with the baking soda Els, but the oily mark is still there. Next time I'll take a smell test of one first.

Hugs,

Nora

Same issue, different topic -- How do you get the smokey smell out of a book? I bought a used book from Amazon and it stinks, literally! I really need the book and am hoping someone has a fix for this, too!

Thanks in advance, Lydia

Lydia, since baking soda is often used to take care of smells, I wouds put the book, open, in a good sealing plastic container, a bit larger than your book. Put an open container of baking soda in with it, leaving it in the contairner for a day or so (or if you need it as a text book, put it in the container when you do not need it), and see what happens. Leaving the book outside in the sun may work as well. Set the book on it's side and fan all the pages open, face the book towards the sun. I would try the baking soda first.

Els

I would also try putting thyme in with it, since I've heard that thyme oil (thymol) is used by some libraries to de-stink books. Some people have had good results from wrapping things in clean newspaper.

=Tamar

One step beyond the baking soda. In a spot where you can leave it undisturmed for a while. put a good bit of plain, unscented cat litter mixed with baking soda in the bottom of a sealable bin or even a trash bag. Put something flat on top of the cat litter big enough to stand the book up on. Fan the book out so the pages are exposed. Seal the bin or bag up for at least a week. We used this method to remove a musty odor from a used cookbook. Cat litter is designed to absorb, after all.

Mark