Cleaning > AdviceJanuary 15, 2008

Removing Smell from Wooden Trash Can

I recently purchased a wooden bin from a thrift store. It was listed as a trash can. It smelled badly of trash and cigarette smoke. I washed it with soap and used Clorox. I have also used baking soda. But can not get rid of the bad smell in the wood. Is there any hope?

Mary from Tallahassee, FL

By

Answers

Read answers for this post below.

By
02/14/2008

Put A bowl of vinegar inside and leave for A couple of days.Vinegar is great for removing odors and the vinegar odor is gone real fast!
Deb816@
luvbarns AT netscape.com

By Mary Jane (Guest Post) 01/17/2008

After cleaning it, leave it in the sun and then use either lemon oil or potpourri fragrance oil. Use any scent you want and using a cotton ball slightly saturated with the oil, wipe the bottom, sides, and lid, if it has one. Let it dry a bit and then wipe out excess oil. You can even leave the cotton ball inside since it will only be used for trash.

I did this to an old bureau that I was given and smelled bad. I used cinnamon oil and it worked. Good luck.

By
01/16/2008

I have had good luck with removing the musty smell from old wooden furniture with coffee grounds. This may work for you, but you likely have to use several changes of them and leave them in there for a long time.

The very first thing I would try is setting this out in the fresh air for awhile.

And baking soda, like you use in the fridge to absorb odors may also be something to try.

By
01/16/2008

If the essential oil doesn't work, you could try the same thing with charcoal. It absorbs odors.
Renee in TN

By Michele (Guest Post) 01/16/2008

Hi, sometimes you can use coffee...I have used it before. Charcoal is another thing they use for smells. Good luck.

By
01/15/2008

Crumple up newspaper and add a few drops of a citrus-y essential oil to each "wad". Fill the wooden bin with this concoction and cover it. It might take a few weeks (and you might need to replace the newspaper, as it absorbs odors) but it should work. There's hope!

Related

Answer this Question

Your thoughts are welcomed and appreciated. Enter your answer here!

Answer:

Image Upload:

Add an image to your post! Click the "Browse" button above and select an image from your hard drive. Please only select gifs or jpegs. If you have any problems, please contact us.

  

facebook like arrowLike ThriftyFun on Facebook

Browse Topics

Over 80,000 tips, recipes, questions & crafts.

Ask a Question

Submit a question to the TF community.

Subscribe to ThriftyFun Newsletters!

Email: