How to Get Odor Out Of Wood Furniture (Old Vs New) Expert Tips

Wood furniture is an excellent option for various parts of the home. Whether in the living room, bedroom or kitchen, wooden furniture is versatile, durable, and offers natural looks that help optimize the aesthetic allure of the space.

However, wood furniture poses the challenge of emitting strange odors, which can be off-putting. Not only does smelly furniture make your visitors inconvenient, but it also negatively impacts the overall aura of your space.

Hence, it is important to know how to remove unpleasant odors from wood furniture. 
This blog discusses various methods for eliminating odors from wooden furniture and restoring your space with the fresh, natural breath it deserves. Note that these methods are DIY, and you don’t need to hire an expert.

Identify the Cause of the Odor

Your first task in treating odors from wood furniture is to identify the source and type of the odor. Unpleasant smells from wood furniture are linked to different causes, including pet urine and chemical spillage, and these causes are treated uniquely. 

It is, therefore, your duty to know why your wooden furniture gives bad odors before concluding on the right solution.

Start by asking the right questions. Questions such as whether there is a particular stain on the furniture and whether the furniture came from a smoker’s house are helpful in finding the right solution for your stinky wood furniture.

You can provide the right answer to these questions by merely examining and sniffing around your furniture.

Getting Odors Out Of Your Wood Furniture: Pro Tips

Now that you have picked some ideas about why your wood furniture smells, let’s take a look at a few proven methods to remove the odors.

Activated Charcoal

Are you interested in learning how to remove odors from your old wood dresser or wood cabinets? Consider activated charcoal.

Thanks to its porous nature, activated charcoal is highly effective in absorbing odors from different items and is handy in restoring your stinking furniture with its old glory.

To remove odors from your furniture using activated charcoal, place a couple of bowls of activated charcoal near your furniture for several days and watch how your furniture gradually loses its irritating odors. 

This method is more effective in removing odors from enclosed furniture like drawers, and since activated charcoal doesn’t leave residue, you can expect your furniture to maintain its looks but lose the disturbing smells.

However, note that this is not a quick solution and can take days to give noticeable results. Hence, it makes sense to give the charcoal enough time around your furniture, even when nothing seems to be changing.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is commonly used in different applications, and removing smells from furniture is one. According to Second Nature, baking soda is handy in eliminating smells from the home.

Interestingly, baking soda is a common kitchen ingredient you can easily lay your hands on.

The best time to consider removing odors from your furniture using baking soda is when dealing with food spillage or pet accidents. The alkaline nature of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) makes it an effective means of removing odors and you want to give it a try.

While a small amount of baking soda on your home-office cabinets or coffee table can work wonders, generous spreading can heighten its effectiveness. Regardless, ensure you leave the baking soda on your furniture for at least 24 hours to effectively react and remove the strange smell.

If you are removing odors from your drawer or any enclosed piece, placing a bowl of baking soda will work fine.

However, note that baking soda might not give the best result when removing odors from chemical smells, and you may need to consider another method. 
You may also check our guide on: Guide to Small Coffee Table for Your Loveseat with Storage.

White Vinegar

Are your struggling with removing odors from pet urine or mildew and nothing seems to work? It is time to try white vinegar. Vinegar is packed with acids that are strong enough to break odor molecules. All you need to do is to spray a small amount of vinegar solution on the affected furniture and wipe after a few hours. 

Of course, your wood furniture will absorb the liquid, but rest assured, you can easily wipe off the residue with no traces of vinegar left on your furniture.

However, avoid over-spraying the vinegar solution on your furniture, as too much vinegar content can damage the wooden part. The best way to do this is to mix an equal amount of vinegar and water and spray sparingly on the wooden part of your furniture.

After application, give the vinegar a few hours to dissipate the odor. 
Additionally, you can use vinegar in removing stays on your furniture. Plus, your furniture will maintain its look even if you accidentally spray the solution on the fabric parts.

Sunlight 

All you need to remove odor from your wood furniture might be the touches of nature. 
Most odors can be eliminated from wood furniture simply by exposing the furniture to sunlight. Sunlight emits UV rays that are effective in killing bacteria causing odors in your furniture.

Whether you are looking for how to get smells out of wood drawers or how to remove odor from wood cabinets, this method is highly recommended for musty and mildew odor removal in wood furniture. Exposure to the sun's UV rays can dry out the moisture on the furniture and bring it back to its original state.

Move your furniture outside and leave it exposed to sunlight for a few hours. With this, the sun can break the odor while the fresh air dissipates the broken molecules.

However, note that prolonged exposure of furniture to sunlight can fade the materials and potentially damage the furniture, especially the wooden parts.

Similar Read: Why You Should Consider Buying a Fabric Dresser?

Sand and Reseal

Removing odor from old wood furniture may require more than mere adding specific items to the furniture. Odors that have eating deep into the furniture might require removing the spoilt surfaces, which is where you need sanding and resealing. 

Sanding the surface of your stinking wood furniture helps remove the odor-absorbing layer, and resealing it restores the look of the sanded area.

Sand the affected surface gently until it is smooth and void of odor. Then, apply a new sealant for a smooth surface.

However, only consider this method as the last resort when other methods have proven ineffective, as sanding can be labor-intensive.

Conclusion

Odors in old or new wood furniture can be irritating as they contaminate the fresh air in your space, but it's what you can remove on your own. Although removing odors from new or old furniture can be tricky, approaching it with caution lets you have the best result.

Since odors in furniture are caused by different elements and each cause is treated differently, it makes sense to know what you are dealing with before proceeding with the removal processes.

Are you planning on adding more furniture to your space? Check WLIVE for various types of home furniture to elate the comfort and look of your home or office.