To rid an offensive odor?

I find thermoelectric wine coolers at my local thrift store from time to time and have had great luck with them. I recently found a used 8 bottle Emmerson unit that looks a heck of a lot like my Vinotemp. I picked it up for a decent price but it was a little abused. After wiping it down well with water I scrubbed it with baking soda and then cleaned the baking soda off as well. I now have it plugged in and running with an opened box of fresh baking soda in it. I can still smell something which reminds me a little of mustard in it though. Any ideas of how I can rid myself of this odor? I don't want to put any sticks in there and make them smell this way.

Thanks in advance.

[bobarian]

Charcoal will absorb odors better than baking soda. Bust up a couple of briquets or use fish filter charcoal if you have some.

[NCRadioMan]

Vinegar. http://www.vinegarbook.net/Cutting_O..._Vinegar.shtml

[Don Fernando]

when I read the topic title I thought "just don't invite Huy over again"

leave the cooler open for a while.

[d'am]

I once had to deodorize a guitar case from China where the glue almost made me sick. Let me add a couple ideas: sunlight, newspapers, and if nothing else, a solvent that will evaporate.

[SmokinApe]

Look at the bright side, mustard is one of the more popular condiments...

[bscottskangum]

Febreeze? It works on everything else

[thebayratt]

I agree with charcoal too. It does a good job at filtering alot of things.


I had an offensive odor in my house a while back... then I kicked my fiance's dog outside - problem solved!

[neoflex]

Originally Posted by bscottskangum

Febreeze? It works on everything else

Febreeze does work well but in this application I would be afraid that the scent of the Febreeze would than linger. Good idea Mario on how to pick these up cheap. I may have to try that if I decided to not go the tower route because I am hard up for some extra storage space.

[kelmac07]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

when I read the topic title I thought "just don't invite Huy over again"

I'm trying the vinegar method tonight and have already crushed some coal for the charcoal method as well. I'll use the coal afterwards either way just in case.

Thank you for all of the responses.

I tried the vinegar for 24 hours. Now it smells like vinegar. I let it air out though so it's just a hint of vinegar. So far I just smell vinegar and cannot detect the other odor in the background. I'll give it until the morning and then I'll try the charcoal.

[dwoodward]

Try this one

1. Buy some fresh ground coffee, from where ever you can get some.
2. Dump 1-2 cups of it on a plate and spread it around
3. Place the plate in the unit.
4. Close the unit for about 48 hours.
5. Throw out the coffee and replace with a box of baking soda
(Cut the top of the box completely off the baking soda.)
6. Leave there for about 2 days.
7. Smell your units new fresh and clean coffee smell.

Who doesn't mind a little coffee and cedar smell?

[d'am]

Originally Posted by mariogolbee

I'm trying the vinegar method tonight and have already crushed some coal for the charcoal method as well. I'll use the coal afterwards either way just in case.

Thank you for all of the responses.

Some plain, hot water would help get rid of the vinegar residue (assuming you don't have some crazy cooler with wood interior or anything absorbent.) Vinegar dissolves in water, but it might take a good amount of work to get the smell out. Even a tiny amount of vinegar has a noticeable aroma. It sounds like you're on the right track.