How To Get Rid Of A Plywood Smell

Completing home improvement projects around the house often requires the use of plywood. Plywood is also used in some types of furniture, particularly inexpensive bookshelves. When you bring the wood into your home, you'll typically notice a musty smell, which is the smell of the plywood. This scent becomes stronger if the wood was stored in an area with a lot of moisture.

Step 1

Air out the plywood before bringing it into the house. The sun and fresh air is a natural odor remover, but you must place the wood outside when the sun is out and the temperature is fairly mild or even hot. The warm air dries out the wood and helps remove the odor.

Step 2

Use an ozone generator in your home. Ozone generators neutralize smells and odors by changing the structure of the molecules in the surrounding areas. Not only will it remove the smell of the plywood, but it will remove any other smells lingering in the air.

Step 3

Fill a small bowl with vinegar using either distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Set the bowl on top of the plywood or next to the plywood. Leave the vinegar sitting out for at least 24 hours to pull the smells from the wood.

Step 4

Oil down the plywood with baby oil or a citrus based oil. Rub the oil all over the plywood with a soft cloth. It typically takes several days for the plywood to completely absorb the oil. Once it does, it should take the plywood smell with it.

Step 5

Place a small bowl of dry coffee grounds on the top of the plywood. Coffee grounds are a natural way to remove odors. The coffee grounds pull the plywood smell out and absorb the scent. Wait 24 hours and then throw the coffee grounds away.