Having a freshly painted room is fun, no longer than you face this persistent odor all over your house. If you have ever tried to get rid of wood stain smell in your house, you know for sure what a terrible task it is. However, what if you try the wrong methods but still can remove the wood stain odor much quicker and easier?
We are here to share a simple guide on how to get rid of wood stain smell in your home.
How to get rid of wood stain smell in a harmless way?
Smelly air is not just smelly. You should understand all the possible risks and take all the preventive actions to protect yourself from wood stain harmful fumes.
If you can remove a stained unit from your home, don’t hesitate to do it! If the weather is okay, leave the stained unit in the safe outside area until the unpleasant smell eliminates.
In case you are staining wood furniture outdoors, it is your best idea.
Don’t stain indoors to avoid the necessity of removing the unpleasant odors from your room.
However, if you can’t take the stained item outdoors, provide maximum fresh air access to the stained room. Keep in mind that you need it during the staining of wood objects as well so as not to get poisoned by harmful fumes.
Is the wood stain smell harmful to your health?
Unfortunately, it often is. Most wood stains contain toxic chemicals and petroleum-based extractions that emit a strong smell in the air. Both acrylic and oil-based stains have these toxic compounds that bring extra troubles into your life.
Such substances as Minwax stain are really smelly. On average, it takes about 8 or 9 hours to ventilate the area and get rid of wood stain’s harmful smell.
Some wood stains don’t contain these toxic substances. If you are seeking a more harmless option, choose water-based stains. They contain less harmful compounds and dry out much faster on the wooden surface.
How to get rid of wood stain smell by ventilation?
Nothing keeps strong wood stain smells better than a closed space! That is why proper ventilation is always the first thing to do.
The pungent smell of wood stain quickly becomes overwhelming and spreads all over the area. Containing volatile organic compounds, such as arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde, and some others it brings a wide range of toxicity into your room.
At least, you start feeling dizzy or allergic. In worse cases, these toxic wood stain fumes cause damage to your inner organs, including CNS, liver, kidneys, and digestive system. Don’t wait until the concentrated fumes start poisoning you – let them out of your house!
Since ventilation fully depends on the weather and season, we recommend starting your staining project from late spring to early autumn to avoid extra humidity getting into your home.
Here are several best ways to remove wood stain odor from your air.
#1. Air conditioners
These versatile appliances are designed to make our household air better. So, why not use your conditioner as an air purifier?
Lots of air conditioners have such a function, so they can absorb odors out of the stained area. Just let your air conditioner work for at least 8 hours to get the toxic wood stain odor out of your room.
Working time is different for many air conditioners. You can repeat the procedure several times with some pauses.
#2. Air purifiers
Air purifiers are quite an expensive option to refresh your air. However, a good air purifier is an efficient way to get rid of wood stain odor.
Containing AOC carbon filters, this appliance cleans your air from wood stain smell and many other household odors. Advanced carbon filters can deal with lots of harmful chemicals in the air, so it is really worth buying.
Let your air purifier draw as much fresh air into your room as possible.
#3. Cross-air circulation
Open all the windows to let the air cross your house. Then, turn on most of your existing fans, including exhaust and ceiling fans (especially those that are close to the painted area). Let the fans work for at least 8 hours to move the toxic particles out of your house.
In windy weather, the cross-air circulation is provided naturally, so you don’t even need so many fans to work at once.
How to get rid of wood stain smell naturally?
Using natural remedies is always a great option. Since they are not only efficient but also eco-friendly, they are definitely worth trying. Besides, most of these smell removers you can find at your home, so there is no need to buy any extra items for wood stain odor removal.
By no means you can reuse the substances that absorb odors and harmful contaminants! All the natural wood stain smell removers such as coffee and orange peels should be discarded immediately after you use them.
You can use any of the natural remedies given below.
#1. Activated carbon and charcoal
Activated charcoal is widely known for its absorbent properties. In medicine, activated carbon is an efficient remedy for intoxication cases.
As you can guess, activated carbon is also super-effective at removing wood stain smell. As a variant, you can use your BBQ charcoal broken up into many small pieces.
Fill the large containers with BBQ or activated charcoal and place them in the smelly area. Avoid placing them too close to the painted area! It’s better to put them sparely all over the room. Wait until the smell reduces, and dispose of the used charcoal.
#2. Baking soda
Everybody knows about this versatile substance in your kitchen! This is a magical all-purpose cleanser and deodorant that you have at home. So, what about grabbing a pack of baking soda for dealing with the wood stain smell?
To get rid of wood stain smell, place a container with baking soda near the stained furniture or another item. If the item is too large, and the amount of baking soda is not enough, don’t desperate! Sprinkle baking soda all over the freshly stained wood surface, and let it sit for a few hours.
One more idea is to make a paste of baking soda and water (1:3) and place a bowl with this solution in the stained area overnight. It can also help you to lessen the wood smell.
As soon as the wood stain smell reduces, discard the used baking soda as it is no longer possible to use again.
#3. Citrus peel and fruits
Citrus fruits are a good natural remedy for wood stain smell removal. Their peels are not only used in culinary but can also be a super-hack for wood stain smell removal!
For this method, grab two or three large oranges and peel them. After you eat the flesh, fill two or three bowls accordingly with orange peel and place them on the different sides of the stained room. Let them stay for at least 48 hours to absorb the wood stain smell out of the air.
After that, check the room to make sure that the strong wood stain smells have disappeared. Repeat the procedure with new peels if necessary.
As you are done, don’t forget to discard the orange peel as they are no more good to use!
As a variant, you can also use lemon peel or even lemon slices. Any citrus fruits are good at absorbing bad odors. As soon as the lemon slices start drying out, replace them with fresh ones.
#4. Coffee grounds
Coffee grounds are also famous for their deodorizing properties. If you are a coffee fan that doesn’t mind using some grounds to dispose of the wood stain smell, that’s a good option!
Pure coffee is your best bet as it is a great natural absorbent. Opt for finely ground coffee beans for better disposal of that strong smell in your house.
Take a bowl, a plate, or any other container and fill it with coffee grounds. Place this container in the stained area and leave them to absorb odor for at least 24 hours. However, you should replace the grounds regularly for better effect as they absorb wood stain smell really quickly.
If the affected area is too large, make use of the coffee marc all over the place. Fill 4 containers with coffee grounds and put them in each corner of the room. Don’t forget about the regular replacement for better effect!
#6. Saltwater
Salt is one more good natural absorbent that can be found in anybody’s kitchen. For those who are looking for a super-simple and cheap way to get rid of unwanted smells, salt water is an ideal helper!
Choose a large container such as a bucket, a big pot, or a large bowl, and fill it with warm water. Then, generously add salt to dilute it in the water. As soon as you are done, place the container in the room with a stained unit to absorb that bad odor.
Use several containers with salt water. They will absorb stain smell much quicker.
#7. White vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is one more remedy that can help you to get rid of wood stain toxic smell.
Take a bowl and pour white vinegar inside it. Depending on the stained wood unit, you may need a few bowls. Don’t dilute white vinegar with water as you need it to work at maximum strength!
Place these bowls all over the stained room and let them stay for about 24 hours.
If necessary, repeat this procedure until the pungent odor eliminates.
As you no more need the white vinegar, discard it immediately! Remember that you can’t use it anymore as it has absorbed the chemical compounds out of the air.
What are some other ways to dispose of wood stain odor?
Along with ventilation and natural deodorants, you can try a few more ways to get rid of odors:
- Silica gel cat litter works as an efficient odor absorbent. So, why not use it for your stained item as well? Place a container with silica gel cat litter in the painted area. Wait until the unpleasant smell goes away, and then dispose of the granules through the toilet. Don’t use them as cat litter as they are now full of absorbed chemicals!
- If you are not allergic and don’t have respiratory issues, make use of essential oils! Add a few fragrant drops to a bowl of water or your humidifier to fill the room with a pleasant smell.This is a good addition to any of the given methods, as these oils can’t remove the odor but are good at masking it. Besides, provide air circulation so as not to make your room air overwhelmed.
- Onions can also be used as an odor absorbent. Placing a few slices of onion around the stained unit can help you to get rid of unwanted smells. However, since onions have their own specific smell, this method is the least recommended whereas it is still possible.
How to prevent wood stain smell in your house?
Preventing this strong smell in your home is much better than thinking of how to get rid of wood stain smell that has already spread everywhere.
- Remember that not all wood stains contain those toxic petroleum-based matters. For the new staining project, opt for a harmless wood stain. Water-based wood stains work best as they don’t smell so strongly and contain less harmful substances.
- For indoor objects, use only the indoor stain! Avoid using exterior wood stains when staining wooden objects indoors. They have a much more pungent smell and contain stronger chemicals.
- Avoid staining wood objects indoors! If you can take a stained unit outside, just do it! The staining process in the open air is much safer, and you won’t deal too much with the wood stain smell in your house.
- Coat encapsulating sealer is a super-way to prevent smelly issues! This group of sealers is free of toxins and any noxious solvent. Apply a layer of this sealer on the surface before you start staining it. It prevents the surface from absorbing the stain contaminants and their further release.
- Don’t keep either your staining tools or the wood stain itself in your home! After staining, clean the tools outdoors, and take the stain out of your house. Store it in the shed or basement to avoid any extra smells indoors.
- Provide excellent air circulation through your house if you are going to stain the indoor surface.
FAQ
How long does it take for wood stain smell to go away?
The wood stain smell is really pungent. Generally, it can last from several hours to several days. However, as soon as the wood stain cures and dries completely, the odor will disappear.
Are wood stain fumes harmful?
Yes, they are. Wood stain odor is caused by volatile compounds such as arsenic and formaldehyde that are toxic by their nature. In addition, wood stains often contain petroleum-based extracts that can emit toxic fumes.
If your chosen wood stain is high in VOC, it will cause more health problems accordingly. That’s why a good idea is to use water-based wood stain rather than oil-based stain. Water-based wood stain is free of harmful contaminants whereas oil-based one will keep emitting toxins into the air.
How long are stain fumes toxic?
Depending on the brand and the VOC level in the wood stain, the toxic evaporation time can vary. In general, the whole process takes from 3 to 30 days until the wood stain’s toxic evaporation stops completely.
Final thoughts
As you can see, the wood stain odor is pungent but is still quite easy to get rid of. We hope that our tips will be useful for you. If you know any other proven tips, share them in the comments below!
