How to get rid of damp type smell from MDF drawers

shoked, Apr 26, 9:15pm
Set of 4 drawers, got a yukky smell, almost like a damp type smell but it's not damp, the smell gets onto the clothes. Any ideas apart from mothballs which I hate? Thanks in advance

sunnysue1, Apr 26, 9:24pm
Impossible. I had one for 2 yrs and tried everything. scared to sell it incase someone was poisoned by sleeping in the room with it. My son used it in his tool shed and 3 yrs later he reckons it still stinks.

hazelnut2, Apr 26, 9:38pm
You could try painting them all over. Might seal in the smell. But it's only an idea.

datoofairy, Apr 26, 9:41pm
Put some DampRid in each drawer and put them somewhere dry. You want them to dry out as much as possible. Then seal and paint.

oh_hunnihunni, Apr 26, 11:10pm
Trouble with MDF is if it gets wet molds grow. Some of those are very nasty. You cannot dry out and hope it'll be okay, the bonds are altered, the fibres have swollen and then shrunk - I'd be tossing it, or swapping out the drawers if that's the only bit damaged. You could use baskets instead in the drawer spaces?

ebygum1, Apr 27, 12:46am
The smell is probably formaldehyde used in the adhesive. M.D.F. should be sealed using a polyeurethane type sealer.

thea4, Apr 27, 3:18am
Try ordinary malt vinegar Some years ago I bought a dresser that smelt awful a friend told me to put in a container with some vinegar in it and to my surprise the smell wen The dresser is still in use giving no problems

clangie, Jan 23, 6:54pm
seal it with primer or completely paint them, all sides