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Getting Fish Oil and Odor Out of Wood

Shel_B

By Shel_B
in Kitchen Consumer

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted

Toots had a kitchen accident and asked me for advice, and I, in turn, am asking here.  She wrote:

 

I have a jar of unopened Herring in wine sauce ... which, instead of putting it in the fridge, I
laid it down on it's side in my wooden Lazy Susan ( under the counter in the kitchen) and sure
enough, it leaked it's fishy smell.  I emptied it all, washed the wood with soap and water, dried
it with paper towels, washed it again, put a fan to dry the interior, and it still smells. Probably
the wood absorbed the fishy wine, as there is no oil in the ingredient list. Now, the professional
consultation: how can I get rid of this smell?
 
Any suggestions?

 ... Shel


 

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lesliec

lesliec

Posted
Posted

Baking soda can be good for removing smells.  Try mixing some with water (no idea of proportions, but I can't see you getting into too much trouble with it) and letting it soak into the wood for a while.

 

A 1:1 solution of white vinegar and water is also worth a try.  Good luck.

Leslie Craven, aka "lesliec"
Host, eG Forums - lcraven@egstaff.org

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Baking soda can be good for removing smells.  Try mixing some with water (no idea of proportions, but I can't see you getting into too much trouble with it) and letting it soak into the wood for a while.

 

A 1:1 solution of white vinegar and water is also worth a try.  Good luck.

 

OK ... seems like it's worth a try.  I sent your comments to Toots .... Thanks!

 ... Shel


 

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Edward J

Edward J

Posted
Posted

The pros use shellac--a totally organic type of varnish (bug guts and 200 proof alcohol).  It doesn't remove odours, but it seals odours into the wood so they don't transfer.  Furniture pros use tis to block off smoke and perfume odours in furniture and pet urine dours on hardwoood floors.

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Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

Along similar lines as lesliec, I would try sprinkling the surface with salt, adding enough white vinegar to cover the surface and dampen the salt, letting it sit for 10 - 15 minutes, scrubbing, then scraping with a pastry scraper. That's the method I use for cleaning my butcher block and wooden cutting boards; it does a good job of picking up stains except from scorched wood.

Edward J, I'd never thought about shellac for this purpose; thanks for your information. Does it affect the surface texture? I imagine shellac as producing a hard, shiny surface like varnish, but I may be confusing the two.

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

The pros use shellac--a totally organic type of varnish (bug guts and 200 proof alcohol).  It doesn't remove odours, but it seals odours into the wood so they don't transfer.  Furniture pros use tis to block off smoke and perfume odours in furniture and pet urine dours on hardwoood floors.

 

Thanks, Edward.  I sent your reply to Toots.  Most likely she'll try Leslie's technique first as the ingredients are already at hand.  However, the shellac option does sound reasonable.  Appreciate your helping out.

 ... Shel


 

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Along similar lines, I would try sprinkling the surface with salt, adding enough white vinegar to cover the surface and dampen the salt, letting it sit for 10 - 15 minutes, scrubbing, then scraping with a pastry scraper. That's the method I use for cleaning my butcher block and wooden cutting boards; it does a good job of picking up stains except from scorched wood.

 

How does it work with smells?

 ... Shel


 

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Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

How does it work with smells?

It's worked for the smells I've had to deal with (olive oil, herbs? cheese?) but I haven't put it to the pickled herring test. Sorry!

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
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It's worked for the smells I've had to deal with (olive oil, herbs? cheese?) but I haven't put it to the pickled herring test. Sorry!

 

Thanks so much for your help and suggestion.  Toots now has everyone's ideas thus far, and she's started working on the problem.  We'll see how it all comes out.

  • Like 1

 ... Shel


 

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

The pros use shellac--a totally organic type of varnish (bug guts and 200 proof alcohol).  It doesn't remove odours, but it seals odours into the wood so they don't transfer.  Furniture pros use tis to block off smoke and perfume odours in furniture and pet urine dours on hardwoood floors.

 

Toots mentioned that she used shellac to solve an odor/mildew problem, so if Leslie's solution doesn't work - and she's trying that now - shellac may be next up.

 ... Shel


 

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liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted (edited)

I agree with lesliec. This is what I use. The packaging specifically says it can be used for cleaning cutting boards, among other things.

soda.jpg
 

Edited by liuzhou (log)

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
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Well, Toots used the baking soda / vinegar technique and, according to her, it worked very well.  I'm going to her place in a while with instructions to "put [my] nose into the cupboard to see if agree with [her] nose."

 

Thanks to all for your help!

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 ... Shel


 

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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

the point is ' sealed '    oil just adds 'shine' or what ever you call it.  it offers little to no protection unless it

 

polymerizes.   and that polymerization need to be deep enough in the wood to be beyond surface scratches and

 

god forbid  knife cuts.

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weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted

Yes - but my regularly used board, which I treat often with oil and beeswax, seems sealed to me - at least, liquids bead up on the surface, and it doesn't absorb odors.

 

However, and this is a big difference, when I cut up fish or chicken, I used a plastic cutting board which goes into the dishwasher!

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

"""""   when I cut up fish or chicken, I used a plastic cutting board   """"

 

excellent thinking

 

Ive moved to completely plastic boards    I have 1/2 doz various sizes.    and I used to make my own cutting boards from

 

birds-eye maple etc

 

these are very nice, and very very kind to your knives :

 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/oxo-good-grips-reg-10-1-2-x-15-utility-cutting-board/112876?categoryId=12070

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