Removing Odor from Easter Straw

[Jim D.]

An odd topic to be sure, but at least it's seasonal:  I reordered straw/grass/crinkle-cut paper for Easter baskets from my same supplier last year, and, unlike the previous supply, this batch has a off-smell, something chemical.  The supplier said no one else had reported the issue, but I know it's there.  What can I do to minimize the odor?  Last year I had some powdered vanilla and mixed that with the straw; it helped a little, but vanilla is a rather expensive way to reach the goal.  I thought of putting the batch outdoors in the sun for a while, but can't find a container large enough.  Yesterday I removed all the remaining straw from the individual bags and left it where it could air out somewhat, but I need an idea that will work more quickly.

[jimb0]

if it's all paper straw and not plastic, i'd just put it in the oven at like 150 in a container or clean sheet pan. after an hour or two i'd be pretty surprised if there were anything left to scent the paper. that's well under any dangerous combustion temperature.

 

you should be able to cycle it out within a day unless you have, like, an obscene amount of easter grass to work through.

[pastrygirl]

This stuff?

 

I don’t know, but I was compelled to smell the case I just got - smells fine. I get mine from Nashville Wraps. 

[Jim D.]

16 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

This stuff?

 

I don’t know, but I was compelled to smell the case I just got - smells fine. I get mine from Nashville Wraps. 

 

Yes, that's it.  And I also got mine from Nashville Wraps.  I still had some from a previous order, so was able to compare the two, and there was/is definitely a chemical odor in the newer one.  It also looked different, so for this particular color (which was out of stock for quite a while) they must have a different source.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

An aside, several years ago I bought green plastic "grass" for the kids' Easter baskets.   Talk about the gift that keeps on giving, although I never saw how it traveled, I was picking green strands up for months.    Crumpled green tissue paper works for me.