When people buy a product made from rubber, they often wonder how they can minimize the chemical smell it emits. Such rubbery odors can take hold of a room and leave a pungent stink behind. Likewise, rubber can also absorb many unpleasant odors including smoke and foot odor. Once these smells get within the material, they are not easily removed.
In this guide, a range of solutions are provided for wiping out smells within rubber. By using the following tips, you can eliminate any of these odors and render the rubber odorless.
Get Rid of Rubber Odor
New products containing rubber often smell the most of this chemical odor. Though the smell eventually dissipates with time, there exist options for speeding up the process.
1 Fresh Air
Fresh air and open space can help in diffusing the smell of this material. Placing the rubber item outside for 1-2 days will reduce the potency of the chemical smelling aroma. As an alternative to placing it outside, you can keep it within a garage or storage place until the smell lessens.
2 Sunlight
The UV rays of the sun go to work in neutralizing much of the odors. Place the rubber outside in direct sunlight for 2 hours, then rotate to ensure that the entire surface receives exposure. Be careful not to leave the item in the sun too long, as this can often weaken the material and lead to cracks within the rubber.
3 White Vinegar
Fill a large bucket with water and add 1/2 cup of vinegar. Allow for the rubber to sit within formula for one hour and remove from water. The vinegar will have neutralized much of the exterior of the rubber leaving it odorless.
4 Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil does a fantastic job at masking odor within the short-term. Apply some peppermint oil to a dampened cloth and proceed to wipe down the surface of the rubber.
Get Rid of Smoke Odors
After long exposures to tobacco, rubber can begin absorbing smoke residues. However, with the right treatment, these residues can be removed and can return the rubber to normal.
1 Lemon Juice
Citrus juices are very effective at cutting through smoke-related odors. The citric acid contained within lemons works as the active ingredient in combating smoke residues.
Get Rid of Foot Odors
After much use, rubber sandals and footwear can adopt a foul odor from your feet. Fortunately, baking soda can help in returning them to normal.
1 Baking Soda
This substance work great at absorbing unwanted odors. Fill a bucket with water and mix a half cup of baking soda within it. Place footwear within the bucket, and soak them for 3-4 hours before removing them for drying.
[contact]
Tried the vinegar soak for rubber. Actually soaked the rubber for 4 hours. Still smells as noxious as ever. Also tried leaving out in fresh air 2 nights in a row and during day. Didn’t work either. Still keeping rubber outside as I can’t stand the smell in the house.
The only solution I found for stinky rubber on shoes is to keep it as clean as possible so the stench is not as strong.