Wearing a fiberglass cast isn’t a whole lot of fun, but it is lighter and easier to manage than the old-fashioned plaster of Paris type. For one thing, fiberglass ones are available in a range choice of colors, and this will definitely appeal to children who need to have one put on. You will still need to keep a close eye on the cast and the skin surrounding the area as you are healing, so be aware of any changes emanating from the cast. This guide will focus on how to remove smell from cast, as in keeping the outside of it aroma-free.
If you have been fitted with a fiberglass cast following surgery or an injury and you are noticing a smell coming from inside it, you may be dealing with an infection. In that instance, seek expert medical advice immediately. In a situation where you are not sure where the odor is coming from, err on the side of caution and get it looked at by a doctor. The suggestions listed below for dealing with a smelly cast would apply in a case where you know you are healing well but the cast itself is giving you grief because of a funky smell.
How to Remove Smell from Cast
1 Rub Baking Soda on Cast
Keeping the cast dry will help to keep the stink factor down. Your doctor will no doubt give you some instructions about how to bathe or shower while the cast is in place. You may need to put a plastic bag over the cast or make a point of keeping your arm or leg outside of the tub while you are getting clean. Even with precautions, some moisture may find its way into the cast, and start to stink. One way to absorb moisture and stop this cycle is to apply baking soda to the surface of the cast. Shake off any excess and reapply as needed.
2 Let Odor-Eaters Absorb the Stank
Odor-Eaters contain activated charcoal as their main ingredient, which is a well-known solution for dealing with all kinds of smell issues. This solution may seem a bit unconventional, but try taping the shoe liners to the surface of the cast. You will want to put the dark side down toward the surface of your cast. If you decide to go with this solution, you will want to choose a time when you don’t need to go out in public (unless you want to answer questions about why the liners are on the cast and not in your shoes, and that could be just a tad awkward).
3 Fabric Softener Sheet Solution
For a quick fix to the problem of a stinky cast, grab a fabric softener sheet and rub it back and forth across the surface. It will give you some temporary relief from the stench, and you can always reapply it as necessary. It’s probably best to choose a good quality dryer sheet for this solution, since a bargain brand would be more likely to catch on any rough spots in your cast and leave bits on lint on it. Unless you want to be picking bits of dryer sheet off your cast later on, stick with a name brand for this one. It’s probably a good idea to use a gentle touch instead of really scrubbing the dryer sheet across the surface of your cast in any event. Your goal should be to just freshen up the surface, in any event.
4 CastCooler to the Rescue
CastCooler is a product that was developed to deal with stinky casts by eliminating moisture caused by perspiration. Simply moving around while wearing a cast creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, which provides the potential for all kinds of funkiness in the cast material. The CastCooler can also be used to dry the cast quickly if it accidentally gets wet. This specialty product is used to keep the fiberglass cast’s lining dry and odor-free.
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