If you've just finished a piece of wood furniture, such as a crib, with lacquer, you'll be able to smell the solvents evaporating for a few days. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid this, because the finish won't harden until this evaporation is complete. The good news is that off-gassing lasts only a short time, but the bad news is that you can't cover the wood with anything to abate the odor, or you'll damage the finish. If you must use the crib immediately after lacquering, you can spread one of several remedies near it to absorb the odors.
Step 1
Crush pieces of wood charcoal into small pieces and spread them around the room in bowls. Charcoal is an effective air purifier that will control the odors.
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Step 2
Fill bowls with white vinegar and spread them around the room as an alternative to using charcoal. Another alternative is baking soda; simply open the box and leave it near the crib. You can also dust baking soda on the floor and furniture around the crib and vacuum it up in a few days, when the crib stops off-gassing.
Step 3
Ventilate the room as much as possible, using fans if you have them. Air circulation increases the solvent evaporation rate and will make the smell go away more quickly.
Step 4
Light candles in the room. They burn the VOCs in the room's air along with the oxygen they need to stay lit.
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