Bye-bye Odors

I bought a dresser from one of my husband's co-workers a few years back that was an awesome deal. After I got it home and opened the drawers, all I could smell was cigarette smoke. Grose. Luckily I knew a tip to get that pesky smell out without destroying or warping the wood from cleaners- dryer sheets! Just place UNUSED dryer sheets in an empty drawer (2 or more for really pesky odors or large drawers) and leave closed for a week. Change out the sheet and let alone for another week. I do not recommend using the sheets for the dryer after deodorizing. This may transfer the unwanted odor onto your laundry. Yes, deodorizing takes time, but it saves the wood. If you live in a dry and hot part of the world (like Arizona) just leave the drawer (or whatever item you are deodorizing) out in the open sunlight for a couple days. If the item is light sensitive or old, do not do this, use the dryer sheets.

After the odor has seemed to have gone away, line the bottom of the drawer with dryer sheets and cover with a tea towel before you put your clothes in. This keeps clothes smelling nice longer, and prevents the fabrics from wicking odor from the wood upon contact. The tea towel is to keep the oils from the dryer sheet from discoloring your clothes with prolonged contact. Odors in wood are very tricky and are nearly impossible to completely remove, no matter what remedy you use.

When you do laundry, especially linens, do you use sprays or perfumes to keep them fresh? Why buy an extra item when you already have dryer sheets? Stick an unused dryer sheet in between the stacks of linens or randomly around in the closet to keep it smelling fresh. When the sheet seems to have lost it's luster, toss it in a load, then use it afterward for polishing (see other post for dryer sheets).

Do you have a stinky closet from kids shoes or gym bag(s)? Stick an unused dryer sheet in the closet and/or each foul smelling object. Things will be smelling much fresher the next time you open the door. Again, I do not recommend using the sheet for the laundry after deodorizing.