When you buy new furniture, sharp and disturbing odors spreading into your home are a common situation that many people encounter. Especially newly purchased wooden chipboard or MDF furniture can emit a strong odor in the environment it is in for a while due to the components used in their production. This situation both reduces the comfort of the environment and can lead to some health problems. Especially for individuals with sensitive constitutions, furniture odors can manifest themselves with symptoms such as headache, nausea or respiratory distress over time.
Why Does New Furniture Smell Occur?
Newly purchased furniture can emit chemical odors due to various adhesives, paints, polishes and varnishes used in the production processes. Formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are among the main sources of this odor, especially in processed materials such as chipboard and MDF. In addition, fabric, sponge or leather surfaces used can also contribute to the formation of odor. Although this situation is less common in natural wood furniture, light odors can still occur due to polished surfaces or coating materials.
The main causes of new furniture odors are:
- Volatility of VOCs such as formaldehyde
- Residues of varnish and paint
- Chemical residues from manufacturing
- Odors trapped during transportation and packaging
These chemicals can become airborne and affect the air in a room during the first few weeks. In areas that are not well ventilated, these odors can persist for longer periods of time.
Is New Furniture Smell Harmful to Health?
Chemical odors emitted from new furniture can cause some health problems, especially in case of long-term exposure. This situation is especially risky for young children, the elderly and individuals with respiratory problems such as asthma or allergies. Formaldehyde, which is the main component that causes odor, can cause symptoms such as burning eyes, throat irritation and headache when exposed to high doses.
Some symptoms that can pose a health risk are:
- Watering and itching in the eyes
- Constant headache
- Dryness in the nose and throat
- Itching or irritation on the skin
- Sleep problems and feeling tired
In order to avoid such effects, it is important to increase air circulation in the home environment and apply natural methods that can solve furniture odor.
Is New Furniture Smell Harmful to Health?
Chemical odors emitted from new furniture can cause some health problems, especially in case of long-term exposure. This situation is especially risky for young children, the elderly and individuals with respiratory problems such as asthma or allergies. Formaldehyde, which is the leading component that causes odor, can cause symptoms such as burning eyes, throat irritation and headache when exposed to high doses.
- Some symptoms that can pose a health risk are:
- Watering and itching in the eyes
- Constant headache
How to Remove New Furniture Smell?
There are many options from natural methods to professional solutions to remove the odor of newly purchased furniture. We have discussed these methods step by step below:
Reducing Odor with Natural Methods
- Baking Soda: Known for its odor-absorbing properties, baking soda can be sprinkled in a layer on the inside of cabinets or furniture surfaces and left for a few hours. Then, it can be wiped and the air in the environment can be refreshed.
- Vinegar: You can put white vinegar in a bowl and place it near the furniture. Vinegar neutralizes chemical odors naturally.
- Lemon and peels: You can boil lemon peels, fill a spray bottle with the water and spray it gently on furniture surfaces.
Ventilation Techniques
One of the most effective methods is to frequently ventilate the room where the furniture is placed throughout the day. Keeping the room temperature constant and balancing the humidity level can also slow down the release of chemicals into the air. Air purifiers placed in the room also make the environment healthier.
Using Professional Products
In cases where natural solutions are insufficient, special odor eliminator sprays or ozone generators can be used. However, when using an ozone generator, the instructions of the device should be followed carefully. Otherwise, it can disrupt the oxygen balance in the air and cause new problems.
- Dryness in the nose and throat
- Itching or irritation on the skin
- Sleep problems and feeling tired
In order to avoid such effects, it is important to increase air circulation in the home environment and apply natural methods that can solve furniture odor.
How Long Does the New Furniture Smell Last?
How long the smell will last varies depending on the material used in the furniture, the ventilation status of the environment and the solutions applied. While wood-based furniture usually loses its smell within a few weeks, this period may be longer in leather and fabric-covered products.
Smell transition periods according to material:
- Wood: 1-3 weeks
- Leather: 2-6 weeks
- Fabric: 2-8 weeks
To shorten this period, it will be effective to regularly ventilate the room where the cabinet is located, use natural odor eliminators and use devices that circulate the air.
How to Prevent New Furniture Smell?
It is possible to prevent the formation of these smells from the beginning by making careful choices before purchasing furniture.
- Choose furniture with low VOC content: Products that use materials that do not harm the environment and health in their production have much less harmful chemical emissions.
- Prefer environmentally friendly certified products: When purchasing furniture, products with environmentally friendly certificates such as CE, E1 or FSC can be prioritized.
- Air it out as soon as you open the package: When the furniture arrives at home, opening the windows of the room as the first thing to do will help the chemicals evaporate and disperse.
- Wait before using the furniture: If possible, instead of using the furniture directly, you can get rid of most of the initial odors by keeping it in an empty and airy environment for a few days.
Beware of Wardrobe and Wardrobe-Related Odors
When wardrobes and wardrobes, especially those in the bedroom, remain closed for a long time, a heavy odor can accumulate inside them. This can be caused by both the material of the furniture and the clothes, shoes or cosmetics placed inside. Over time, the wardrobe odor permeates the clothes and creates an undesirable situation.
To deal with this:
- Regularly open the wardrobe doors and ventilate them
- Place active carbon or natural lavender sachets inside
- Wipe the wardrobe surfaces with a damp cloth at regular intervals
- Make sure they are completely dry before placing the clothes
The same applies to wardrobe odor. Especially elements such as perfume, damp clothes or detergent residue can be the cause of bad odors. The air in the wardrobe can be kept fresh with natural soap bars or unscented odor absorbing products.
When you encounter problems such as wardrobe odor and new furniture odor, it is possible to overcome this situation with both natural methods and professional solutions. The important thing is to minimize the exposure time to these odors and create a healthy living space in your home. When choosing furniture, paying attention to factors such as the production process, quality of the materials used and environmental friendliness will both protect your health in the long run and make the air in your home more livable.
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