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Member since 8/24/02
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Posted on: 9/17/06 1:41 AM ET
Most of you know I've been gone for about a month, first while Mom was sick, then to Oklahoma after she died, then to Daddy's house to clean out Mom's stuff. While I was gone the potatoes in my cabinet went bad. In fact so bad that I finally noticed the smell when they were so rotted that they started dripping out of the cabinet. Now the smell seems rooted deep into the shelving and I can't get rid of the stench. Any ideas out there?
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Member since 4/16/04
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Posted on: 9/17/06 3:21 AM ET
Would leaving a layer of baking soda on the shelves for awhile help?

Why can't men smell?
  
Member since 2/2/04
Posts: 787
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Posted on: 9/17/06 4:06 AM ET
Sherril - I'm sure that there must be a Smart and Final somewhere near you. They sell a number of deodorizing products that may help. At the moment, I can't think of the name of a single one.
  
Member since 6/22/04
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Posted on: 9/17/06 8:47 AM ET
Maybe one of those odor eliminating microbe cleaners? The one I have on my shelf is "Microbe-Clean, Mulitpurpose cleaner odor eliminator...with naturally occurring, enzyme producing, beneficial microorganisms to process and eliminate organic residue from food and beverages..." It doesn't really smell like much of anything and it works amazingly well.
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Liz

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Member since 1/21/06
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Posted on: 9/17/06 9:08 AM ET
Sherrill,

Welcome back!

My deepest sympathies to you about the loss of your mom.

Sorry to hear about the unpleasentness of the odor--it's bad enough having to clean out things without bad smells too!!

While you were gone there were 2 excellent board discussions on this topic.

(I did a search on "SMELL" (singular) and found them--sorry I lost the link when I tried to post it here.)

The best suggestions were fresh ground coffee or cat litter placed in the smelly area for a while. Perhaps you could start there.

Best wishes,

Carla
-- Edited on 9/17/06 9:08 AM --
-- Edited on 9/17/06 9:10 AM --
  
Member since 4/8/02
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Posted on: 9/17/06 9:12 AM ET
I'd start with a layer of baking soda, removing and replacing it every day or so for a few days, then move on to the specially formulated cleaners (haven't tried them myself, but they sound custom-made for this situation.) Fabreze, maybe? Or the stuff formulated to remove pet odors? I wonder, too, if swabbing the cabinet with a bleach solution would kill bacteria that are partying in there.

Rotten potato smell is just the worst, isn't it? Good luck....
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“Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.” -Robert Heinlein and Ann's father. Thanks for the reminder, Ann.

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The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'



  
Member since 1/26/03
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Posted on: 9/17/06 11:44 AM ET
Vinegar is great for any organic matter. If your shelves can stand the liquid just pour it straight on. If not, line the shelves with paper towels and pour the vinegar on them until they're damp.

If the shelves are removeable you'll probably find stuff along the sides, where there is no veneer or laminate layer and they're usually made of particle board, which is absorbent. Clean it as best you can, let it dry well, then coat it with polyurethane or other sealant. When my cat peed on vinyl coated particle board shelving I was able to seal in that odor this way and you know how strong and permanent cat pee is.
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Member since 6/2/03
Posts: 328
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Posted on: 9/17/06 12:18 PM ET
Sherrill

I am so sorry for you loss. But, as to the smell, first, you have to get all of the "biologicals" out of your shelf. So, probably, the vinegar or the enzyme cleaners would work. I like vinegar because it seems to work the best for me. Others prefer to use the enzymes. Expect to take about a week of cleaning 2 a day for it to get the biological element out - potatos turn liquid and truly bond with the wood.

After the smell is less - probably a week - then use the open baking soda or Febreze. Two days, may be three and it should be gone.

I, too, have left potatos to rot and it is an aweful smell. I did get it out of my kitchen using these techniques. But, I am a basic housekeeper, so I only use the most simple tools. Other folks here are better with the newer products.

Good luck

Mary
  
Member since 11/5/02
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Posted on: 9/17/06 2:57 PM ET
I would clean with bleach as Karla said--to kill off any bacteria etc left. Then let it dry really well--a day or so maybe with a fan pointed in. Then I would go to Target or any other store that carries it and get some Atmos-Kleer spray. It works really well. I would give it a couple of treatments letting them each dry well. If that doesn't work, I would get some of that "Kilz" primer/stain blocker that is for nicotine. If it can get rid of that...
Good Luck
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Member since 8/24/02
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Posted on: 9/17/06 6:31 PM ET
OK, I've used the bleach and now it smells slightly like rotten potatoes and a lot like chlorine. My cabinet is all hardwood so at least it's not seeped into that horrible particle board. I had the shelves covered in self stick plastic coated shelf liner and the stick was still working so it may not have seeped into the wood. If the smell doesn't go away with some vinegar or enzyme cleaner, I'll try replacing the shelf liner first. Thanks everyone for your input. Wish me luck!
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Visit my blog at http://sewingsaga.blogspot.com

If it's worth sewing, it's worth sewing well;
and if it's worth sewing well, it's worth FITTING FIRST! - TSL
  
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