I want to warn everyone about MDF (Medium Density Fiber), a processed wood product that is used in many products ranging from furniture to shelving. I installed some MDF shelving in 2 bedroom closets earlier this year. The shelving subsequently off-gassed formaldehyde and/or other VOC's (volatile organic compounds), making my clothes, and my daughter's clothes, stink. As soon as I realized the shelves were the culprit, I removed them from my house. But the damage was already done. Until this happened, I had no idea that pressed wood typically contains VOC's and it's common for off-gassing to occur. Why major retailers are allowed to sell this stuff without warning labels is beyond me.
In any case, I am looking for suggestions as to how I might minimize or eliminate the odor in my clothing, because even the new clothes I've purchased have been "infected" by the bitter, pungent odor in the house. I've tried baking soda, vinegar, Borax, just about every possible remedy in my washing machine, but nothing has worked.
I also would welcome any advice with regard to neutralizing the odors in the air. One company that "restores" homes after fires suggested I get an ozone blast. However, I'm concerned about the health effects of this approach. The company said no living thing can be in the house for 48 hours after the ozone machine has run its cycle. When I heard that, thoughts of "The Andromeda Strain" immediately came to mind. But my situation is more like a horror movie than a sci-fi film.
Hi Cosmo
I've been into antiques and historic restoration projects in the past that have had lingering smell issues that I've had to conquer. I don't know if this will work for you or not since all smells are different in what it takes to make them go away.
If you can find a bag a charcoal that is not soaked in lighter fluid spread some of those onto a cookie sheet near where the smell is, and they will soak up smells caught in the natural moisture in the air. Finding the charcoal without chemicals is an option, the other kind with chemicals works too, but I didn't use it around my little ones. I'm an anti-chemical gal.
Musty-smell antique clothing can be locked into an air-tight situation with fresh dry normal grind, cheapest on the shelf, coffee. The coffee again acts to soak up smells that are traveling on the natural moisture in the air.
I have been told that dry oatmeal will also work to soak up smells in an airtight container for clothing, but I have not personally tried that yet.
Product Febrese will soak up smells in clothing, but then it takes a few washes before the Febrese smell is gone. And, this gets to be expensive. If you try this, really soak the clothing down in the Febrese and let sit overnight or until dry. Then start washing over and over. If it doesn't work completely the first time, do it again.
Closet walls = Take a piece or two of squish bread; cheap Wonder style of bread that can be squished into a ball. Rub over the closet walls to collect the chemical residue that is sticking to them. Water based anything will just smear it. Throw the bread balls out where animals or homeless can't find and eat them. And, keep changing the ball that you are working with as it gets a shiny surface. You'll see what I mean.
This bread-ball method is a variation of an ancient form of cleaning chemical residue and wood smoke off of hand-painted wallpaper, expensive old paintings, and books. Now, it is used in restoration projects where things were exposed to karosene fumes (splashed onto everything for bug control in old homes) and with expensive fragile papers or painted and printed items. This also works to get cigarette or wood smoke off of silvered mirrors when nothing else will pull the crap.
~ Basically, you have to think like your chemical in order to remove it. If you've been trying and it is still there, that probably means that it is sticking and not able to be washed off easily with water. Some smells are airborn, others are attached.
Airborn ride on tiny water drops or dust particles in the air - they can be soaked up by something that naturally takes things in from the air. The attached must be pulled off somehow - or reduced in their clinging ability.
The vinegar trick only works for the smells that were airborn that then fall into it as they become too heavy to continue to float on the air. Vinegar - an acid - eats certain things, but not everything! It's only about 5% acedic acid - not strong enough to munch everything.
Smiles!!! And, you might want to try what I call the hospital method. Rubbing alcohol is what they use to completely steralize utensils, surfaces, skin, and so on. Some clothing can be soaked in it without colors fading, and other things can not. This reduces your thread count by some, but with children's clothing it is not like they plan to keep it for years. With antique clothing, we have to be careful about what we use it on.
I hope that I've helped some. Maybe in the very least given you some different ideas about how to tackle this problem. Smells are such a pain. Good luck! Catherine
Thanxs for sharing, I never knew !!!! These days it seems everything we use in this country is not healthy and down right dangerouse !!!!!!!!
Humm... But something to remember about all of that unhealthy stuff is that folks did live to be 100 before our modern times. It's all about common sense. If the shelves smell funny - they've gotta' go!
Thanks for the heads up and also some remedies in general!
