I have a really good, sturdy dresser but it doesn't smell too good -- perhaps it's been closed up too long, I'm not sure -- and I really, really don't want to put my young son's clothes in it. I've tried putting tea light candles in it to freshen it up, but that hasn't worked too well.
My son and I are 'scent sensitive' which makes this even more difficult. I just want the dresser to smell 'clean'...
I could really use some suggestions/ideas.
Thanks so much!
J.
if you do go the paint route, i think there are ones out there with less fumes. i saw a sign on a miller paint store that said low POV (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint.
here's a list of 'better for you' paints:
http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_paints.htm
Hi J.-
I purchased an old dresser at a garage sale for my son and it had a musty, 'old wood' smell to it. I went to Sherwin Williams and they gave me a product called "PrepRite" to paint the inside of the drawers with. I believe it was $10 for a quart and they can make it whatever color you want. This solved the smell problem like a dream for us. The employees at Sherwin Williams are super helpful and you could even take a drawer in with you if you aren't sure.
Good Luck!
-H.
Try rubbing it down with vanilla.
Hi J.,
My son Freddy is also 4 and has been medically and educationally dx'd w/ASD. We live in SW near Sylvan/Zoo area. I'm always looking for people to interact with as well.
My husband is a pilot domiciled out of San Fran so is rarely home.
Re your dresser: prob the best thing to do is measure the dimensions of the drawers and then go to Home Depot/Lowes whatever and have them cut custom sized cedar boards to line the drawers with. Won't be very expensive and really works.
Hope to hear from you :)
Have a Happy Sunday!
M.
baking soda? you could try scrubbing it down with a paste made from baking soda and then rinsing it out? or just putting boxes of baking soda into the drawers?
Hi J.,
Another option- Linens N Things carries a bag of "rocks" that absorb odors. I can't remember the name of them, but they really do work. You leave them out in the sun for a while and then put them in the drawers and it will absorb the odor/moisture. You could also try "Nature's Miracle", which is sold at pet stores. It is primarily used to remove urine smells, but might work for others, too.
I have a step-son who was diagnosed as "high functioning", too. He is now 12. School has really been a huge challenge for him-not academically, but the noise, chaos, social issues.
I don't know where you live, but the Beaverton School district has classes just for high functioning autistic kids. The classes are smaller (9-14 kids) and have several aids, as well as the teacher. We had to really fight to get our son into it, but things have been much smoother since we did. Bottom line..It's great that you already have a diagnosis! Watch carefully how things go as he enters the school system and advocate until you get what you need for him, including IEPs and extra help! Most teachers have very little training and understanding of these kids' needs. It is the school districts' legal responsibility to teach your child and give him any extra support he needs because of his disability.
Oh, and we just realized that you can take an extra tax deduction for him because he is "disabled".
Good Luck!
Is the wood discolored or have mold or mold stains on it? If so, wash it with Chlorox/water solution and leave open to dry. You'll need to do this to the inside of the dresser frame walls too.
You can get rid of odors in refrigerators by putting a bowl of baking soda or coffee in side and closing the door. You could try that with the dresser.
I have gotten odors out by putting the item in direct sun light. This may take several days.
You could also paint the insides of the drawers with glossy or semi-glossy paint. Leave them open (probably outside the dresser which you may want to paint too) until the paint smell dissapates.
I wish you luck. Odors are frequently very difficult to get out.
Just a thought, but you might try putting a bowl of baking soda in each drawer to soak up some of the odor. This should help absorb the odor without adding a masking scent. I also found putting crumbled up newspapers in drawers can help absorb the odors as well. Perhaps if you have a garage or open area, maybe you can air it out for a while. Good luck!
Since you are "scent sensitive", I am not sure if you use dryer sheets, but placing a used one in each drawer will help freshen it up. Just make sure it is used.
