General Question

Yellowdog's avatar

If someone kept valuable furniture in a 'stanky house' for several decades, can the stench be taken out?

Asked by Yellowdog (12216points) October 29th, 2019

I am grateful that my first cousin rescued so many of the valuable family heirlooms a few decades ago, but I doubt she would even give them up now, even if I were to ever get a suitable house.

One piece is a valuable solid oak sideboard / buffet that some say is worth over $100,000 and before my cousin acquired it, lots of antique dealers were wanting to buy it.

The thing about my first cousin is, she has a very stinky, unsanitary house. She never even lets her dogs and cats out to relieve themselves. The stench will knock you out the door and infect your sinuses. I am not kidding. The place needs to be condemned by the health department.

I know from other furniture passed onto me, that it takes up the smell of the house it last occupied. Usually, this is not a bad thing. But the knock-out stench of my cousin’s house may have badly tainted some valuable heirlooms.

Can the stench of a filthy, condemnable house be removed from valuable oak furniture?

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12 Answers

kritiper's avatar

Have it professionally cleaned, then placed on a porch or someplace where it can be exposed to all kinds of fresh air.

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

I am not sure. I suppose it might not be as bad as upholstered furniture.
When I have gone antiquing, the stores often have a “smell” to them but idk if it is the upholstered stuff that is doing that.
Wooden pieces that I have picked up over the years didn’t stink,thankfully.lol
Btw, is the sideboard a Stickley? Just curious.

KNOWITALL's avatar

If it does, you can have it reupholstered.

Inspired_2write's avatar

I think once that it is moved to a well ventilated warehouse that the smell will disappear.
I have purchased a few antique books ( 1700’s ) etc and I placed some in the fridge for a week and the smell has disappeared completely.After that I had them displayed on my bookshelves over the years successfully as air has to circulate around them.

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

@Inspired_2write – I didn’t know that about books and will try that out.

Inspired_2write's avatar

@lucillelucillelucille
Got that tip from a UK bookseller who had antique books for sale.

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

@Inspired_2write -Thanks for posting that. I go to book sales and have passed some up because of that very reason.
I wonder if it the lack of humidity in a fridge that does it?

LadyMarissa's avatar

@lucillelucillelucille You can do that with clothes as well. Great way to freshen up jeans!!!
For books watch this

snowberry's avatar

Another option is get a quality ionic air machine, put your stinky items in a room with this machine and close the door. Keep at it until the smell is gone.

Here’s one.
https://www.amazon.com/Enerzen-Commercial-Industrial-Deodorizer-Sterilizer/dp/B00JAP7388/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=ionic+air+cleaner&qid=1572431860&sr=8-18

jca2's avatar

If you are on Facebook, and you join groups on rehabilitating and refinishing furniture, they have all kinds of tips on this. Different methods for different types of furniture, for example, wooden furniture, upholstered furniture, etc. I know I’ve seen mention of dryer sheets in the drawers, vodka (yes, vodka) is another unusual thing I’ve seen them talk about. I’m not sure if you apply the vodka to the wood with a brush or you leave the vodka in a glass in a drawer or what. You can also try googling it.

Dutchess_III's avatar

If it’s left somewhere to air out all the stink will go away eventually.

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