Eliminating a Musty Odor in a Vintage Baby Buggy

Last updated: May 23, 2017

I love antiquing. I've searched high and low and have taken dwelling house everything from gorgeous jewelry to old magazines, mirrors and frames and even larger furniture pieces. Our latest conquering is a gorgeous kitchen hutch that we found in a barn (well, it was an antiques barn), somewhere in rural Ontario.

It fit perfectly in our kitchen, it holds everything from cookbooks to small appliances and a lot in between.  But – it unfortunately carries as much a stench as information technology does grapheme.

If you antique and take experienced that unmistakable barn-y stench lingering on your furniture, you've probably wondered how to rid yourself of that antiquarian stank. So, I thought I'd testify you lot how..

Here are some antique odour removal tips I've been researching.

I figure I would demonstrate them and put them to the test for all of you (and me).  Now remember, you don't desire to simply mask the odour with an air freshener type product or scented candle or oil, that volition practice nothing.  It'south like putting perfume on instead of taking a shower after a long, sweaty day. Gross, you should know better.

A few things I've tried with varying success

I ordinarily rely  on this for deodorizing and yes, this old tried and truthful method can work, however for actually quondam smelly stuff I accept not establish information technology to be successful.

So, later giving 2 bowls of baking soda a week in my hutch, I kicked it to the adjourn.

I'd rate this method for deodorizing a evil-smelling antiquarian a 3/x.

Yes, this does deodorize but it'due south non quite strong enough in my opinion to take these odours abroad.  I observe information technology works better at removing food and cigarette odours.

What you do is pour vinegar (peradventure a cup) into a bowl and merely allow it sit down in open air to deodorize and absorb mild odours.

I'd rate this method for deodorizing a smelly antique a 2/10.

I know!  Well, people have talked about this working. You scoop some fresh litter into a bowl and allow information technology sit inside the antique.  Just be sure you don't leave an opening for your cats, they may think their commode just got upgraded and leave you a thank you gift.

This worked actually quite well.  For some reason nosotros have scented kitty litter (I think it was on sale), so it left an artificial floral scent that I was non as well fond of.  I counteracted that past leaving a bowl of baking soda in the drawer for a twenty-four hours once the litter came out and the simulated floral olfactory property was gone.

I'd rate this method for deodorizing a smelly antique a 7/10.

Why the heck would an onion, potentially the stinkiest of all vegetables, be a expert idea for deodorizing an antique?  Despite how incredibly counter-intuitive this sounds, obviously the sulfuric compounds in an onion (aye, the same ones that make you cry) will blot the old musty smells and totally neutralize the slice within 24 hours.

Simply cut the onion in one-half, place it in a bowl and stick in the furniture somehow (drawer etc.) and leave it for 24 hours.

I found the onion smell to be actually potent actually, despite what another people have said virtually this method.  Information technology did remove some of the scent merely it left behind a potent odour afterward.  I used the same method as the kitty litter instance; placed a basin of baking soda in to remove the onion smell afterward.  That seemed to neutralize the onion odour and also the musty smell of the drawer dissipated.

I'd rate this method for deodorizing a smelly antique a 6/ten.

Fresh air?

Airing out is also very effective, so opening all doors and drawers and leaving the detail by a window for a few days will aid too.

That's a wrap

What I found, after testing these various methods in 4 dissever and blocked off compartments in my hutch, is that they'll work to varying degrees but the smell will also only dissipate over fourth dimension.  And that's not me just having a case of olfactory adaptation; I have a very sensitive sense of smell.   We've left our back patio door open up during the early parts of the summer (non-heat moving ridge days) and it has helped.  The piece still does smell, but to a bottom degree than when we first got it.  I am sure over the adjacent few months the odour volition dissipate even more.

And then as you can see, there is no magic bullet solution to this very malodorous problem, but we practice what we can and do our best to enjoy our antiques.  Perhaps the smell is indicative of the age and properties of the piece, much like an aged wine or cheese.  Possibly we embrace that barn-y, musty odour.  We invite our friends over to sniff our latest pieces.  OK, I'm getting a little side tracked here, simply you get the idea.

What are your experiences with deodorizing antiques?

What has worked for yous?

Let us know in the comments section below!

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Eliminating a Musty Odor in a Vintage Baby Buggy

Source: https://cleanmyspace.com/deodorizing-antique-furniture-pieces/

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