Wood smell on cupboard

Is it an old wardrobe, or new?

If the former, I think they often smell ‘woody’ and ‘old’.

No ideas, sorry.

Probably not a lot you can do, but I would try popping in a couple of Neutradol deodorisers.

I'd paint the inside with chalk paint and/or give it a coat of varnish. A biggish task I know.

Try sprinkling essential oil, such as lavender, on some cotton wool and placing in the drawers, I regularly do this. I would also consider wiping down the inside with oil. It wouldn't harm the wood.

If it's new I'd contact the company for ideas.

How annoying.

You could try a vinegar/water solution to wipe it down - vinegar kills most smells. Wipe down the drawers with a damp cloth, let them dry and air overnight.

Activated charcoal also absorbs odours - keep a small piece in each drawer after using the vinegar.

I popped a bar of a lovely scented soap into a smelly wood cupboard and it did the trick,

I agree with the soap bars. I have April Violets by Yardley in a chest of drawers. Anything I put in there comes out smelling lovely and when I use them they last longer.

Thanks everyone. I posted a reply to this, but it's stuck on my phone. How odd.

It was a new cupboard in December. I've tried bicarb, and squirting Purdy and Figg cleaning products on the inside, in the hope that they'd permeate the wood, but it hasn't made a difference.

I'm reluctant to paint it, as it would change the look of it, and as it is it matches other items in the room. I'll have a go at the vinegar thing, as I haven't tried that, and will try the soap trick too. I have lots of essential oils, so could try that - maybe if I mix some with carrier oil and rub it around the inside it might work. I could put a Neutradol thing in afterwards in the hope that it stops the smells from coming back.

Thanks again, everyone. Some good ideas here.

I'd only paint the inside, so it wouldn't show when closed. I've done it a couple of times for the same reason. Mine was old furniture.

Llamedos13

I popped a bar of a lovely scented soap into a smelly wood cupboard and it did the trick,

I do this with all wardrobes anyway, keeps moths at bay.
I like the scent of new pine wardrobes tho.

You could line the flat surfaces with tissue-paper cut to the exact size, and underneath that, a layer/layers of newspaper. These should help absorb the smell & then one can replace them when
wanted

I'm having the same problem with an old chest of drawers that I have been storing bedding in. Everything ends up with a very strange woody smell. My solution, which isn't really a solution but a temporary fix, is to give the bedding a quick spin in the tumble drier with a perfumed tumble drier sheet to try and get rid of the smell. I'm now going to try one of the more sensible and permanent solutions that have been suggested. I particularly like the idea of using essential oils so will try that first.

Furniture having a woody smell suggests to me that the wood wasn't seasoned for long enough. Hope you find a solution to the problem.

There’s a musty smell of old furniture that can indicate woodworm or rot. But this sounds like the natural smell of new wood. Can’t you learn to love it? It’s probably bottled and sold as ‘Scandinavian Pine’ at great cost!

I had a smell in my cupboards I tried everything, from bicarb to charcoal etc. I bought these from Homebargains and hung them from the hinges. Now when I open the door I only smell these. Just 2 for 99p.

Baggs

Furniture having a woody smell suggests to me that the wood wasn't seasoned for long enough. Hope you find a solution to the problem.

I got a bedside table with drawers at the same time (matching) and it doesn't smell at all, which is odd. It's not an unpleasant smell, but it's strong, and it does transfer, particularly to the towels.

I have a bar of Aromatherapy Associates soap in there now, and will mix essential oil with carrier oil and rub it round the inside later. I then plan to put some of the neat oil onto cotton wool balls and leave one in each drawer and a couple in the cupboard.

Bicarbonate of soda is a great smell absorber. Also if you decide to oil it then oil of Cedar would also act as an insect repellant.

Do you know what type of wood it is?
You could try asking a carpenter or woodworker and perhaps he/she might have an answer.
You could try spraying the inside with some oil based scented room spray, or get one of those gel type bathroom thingys and leave it in the bottom.
NB. I have a camphorwood chest - it is meant to smell of camphor to keep marauding moths/insects at bay, so it might be a good thing?

I wonder if it was made to hold linen? If so it might deliberately have been made from camphorwood or cedar. If this is the case it will not just disappear.
I think I'd paint it inside with chalk paint or similar. Some paint smells more though, so you'd have to be careful to choose a less smelly one. The only alternative to this would be to keep your linen in bags inside the cupboard.

Try lots of balls of newspaper -removed musty smell from my wardrobe.

Bicarb of soda removes smells.

I had the same problem with a chest of drawers. I used pots of bicarbonate of soda in every drawer and shut it up for a month. Worked like a charm. In use now and no smell. Secret is to take it out of use for the month and don't open.

I am assuming this is an old piece of furniture and that you have tried scrubbing it well inside and out with soft soap and plenty of water, then washing it yet again only with clear water.

Then leaving it to dry with all drawers and cupboards open.

If the smell is still there, bicarbonate of soda on a saucer or any suitable sized unlidded container in every compartment for a week or so ought to help.