How To Remove The Smell From New Wood Furniture
New wood furniture often has an odor to it, whether you made and finished the piece yourself or purchased the item from a store. Everything from finishes to adhesives may contain chemicals that emit strong smells until the odor has time to dissipate. Get rid of the stink by airing out the piece in nonhumid weather and by using odor-neutralizing substances, such as vinegar or baking soda, on and around the piece until it no longer reeks.
Let Your Furniture Air Out
If your brand-new wood furniture arrived wrapped in plastic or boxed for assembly, that means the piece most likely needs time to off-gas before you set it in place in your home. Remove any type of wrapping or box from the furnishing and let the piece or pieces remain outdoors in a protected area, such as an open garage or a porch, for several days or even longer if possible. The same is true even for a piece you varnished yourself, as all kinds of wood treatments contain harmful chemicals unless the product specifically says no VOC or low VOC, which stands for volatile organic compounds.
Off-gassing happens when these VOCs turn to gas form, emitting fumes that exacerbate some health conditions. It's a common issue with many types of new furniture or even some types of new flooring that requires potent adhesives to stick down the material. Much like an odor from burning food, those strong chemical smells eventually go away, but it's best to leave windows open and fans on for a while after you notice any odors from your new furniture, even after you've let the piece air out outside. Any new wood furniture that also has plywood or fiberboard in it most likely contains formaldehyde, which is used in the binder to make the sheets. Formaldehyde is a potential carcinogen.
Tip
If you aren't able to air out the wood furniture outdoors, place the piece in a room you don't normally use, such as a guest room. Open all the windows and close the hallway door leading to the room. Let the piece off-gas in this space for several days or even a week until the odor isn't noticeable.
DIY Odor Removers for Wood Furniture
Natural substances, such as vinegar or baking soda, help remove odors from the air and even from the furniture itself. Spray vinegar over areas of the furniture that won't be harmed by liquids, such as the inside of an unfinished drawer or the upholstery on a wood chair with a soft cushion. If the furniture has drawers or doors, open them and spritz the vinegar inside or leave a bowl of vinegar in the storage space for a night or two.
Baking soda does a great job of removing any lingering new-furniture smells too. Sprinkle the baking soda liberally inside a wood cabinet's storage area or within drawers and leave it in there for a day or so. Feel free to do two treatments: one with the furniture door or drawers closed and again with them open, replacing the old baking soda with new baking soda between treatments. Vacuum or wipe up the powder afterward.