New cabinets look amazing and can add tremendous value to your home. However, when they're newly stained, you may notice a particularly pungent wood stain smell that won't go away. This smell may ruin the experience of your brand-new cabinet. What can you do to make sure that smell goes away?
Airing Out the Smell
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The easiest thing to do to get rid of a smell in your cabinets is to air out everything and give it time. As much as possible, keep the space or room where the cabinets are located well ventilated. You can aid in this by keeping air conditioning or heating vents open and keeping all doors to the room open as well. If there are windows in the room, leave them open as much as possible, weather permitting. If the weather isn't cooperating with that plan, try opening the windows for just a few hours during the most temperate time of the day.
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If you have an air purifier, leave it running in the room with the cabinets to hasten the natural expulsion of the strong odors. In addition, use fans to keep the air circulating constantly. If you have open windows, place the fans in the windows or on the windowsills to draw the freshest air possible.
However, some wood smells will be harder to get rid of, mainly if the stain is highly chemical in nature, such as Minwax or a similar product. If the wood stain smell lingers longer than you'd like, there are some things you can try to get rid of that smell quicker.
Wood Stain Smell Won't Go Away Troubleshooting
Both baking soda and activated charcoal are well known for their stink-absorption properties; it's why you keep a container of baking soda in the refrigerator. Put the baking soda or charcoal in wide bowls and leave them around the room. Put some on countertops near the cabinets and put some inside the cabinets. Leave them out for as long as it takes to absorb the smell, switching out the baking soda or charcoal after a few days if the problem persists.
White vinegar is another excellent substance for absorbing unpleasant odors. True, it doesn't exactly smell good itself, but the vinegar smell wears off after a couple hours, and it will take the stain smell with it.
Leave similar bowls around the space and change them every day if the smell still lingers. If the scent is persistent or if you're particularly impatient, you can dampen a rag with white vinegar and rub the cabinets. Just be careful not to soak them, as you could damage the wood.
Is the Wood Stain Smell Harmful?
Wood stain smell can be harmful but only in particular situations. The odors are caused by chemicals that release into the gas around them. Breathing these chemicals into your lungs is harmful but only in large quantities.
If you're doing the staining yourself, it's essential to wear protective gear to prevent the risk of breathing in too many chemicals. Wearing a mask or another type of face covering and keeping the area well ventilated should do the trick. Without these steps, you might start to feel lightheaded or nauseous, or you may get a nasty headache. Repeated exposure can cause long-term problems.
While the lingering smell is unpleasant, it isn't harmful, especially if you keep air circulating in the space. If it causes you or someone in your family any physical symptoms, use one of these methods to hasten the removal of the smell.