Help! Our '71 Overlander Smells!

[Rockwell]

Here's a tip that actually works for us and has worked for me in the past with rebuilding old cars... go to the store and purchase some Irish Spring soap (I sure the Irish Green) cut the top out of the soap boxes and place the opened soap boxes around in several locations. I will give you a pleasant smell thru-out the unit and when the aroma is gone, just use the soap for bathing...and replace with more as needed...cheap and effective..

[Zilpha]

Thanks everybody for your suggestions... @wasagachris, I read the Vulkem product info. This is from the info you sent: "Keep
container closed when not in use. Since emptied containers retain product residue and vapor, observe
precautions even after container is emptied"
(I'm no chemist...but doesn't that suggest that the dried sealant could still be omitting toxic vapor?)

[Top]

Originally Posted by Zilpha

Thanks everybody for your suggestions... @wasagachris, I read the Vulkem product info. This is from the info you sent: "Keep
container closed when not in use. Since emptied containers retain product residue and vapor, observe
precautions even after container is emptied"
(I'm no chemist...but doesn't that suggest that the dried sealant could still be omitting toxic vapor?)

Emitting vapors, yes. But toxic I doubt. There are workers at Airstream that use the stuff every day. I doubt that any studies have been done on the long term healt effects of Vulkem exposure.

[Splitrock]

Like the old joke about the guy who had to get rid of skunks under the porch so he puts lutefisk under there and now he can't get rid of the Norwegians.

[ALTE797]

Try your local Dollar store - look for VOLCANIC ASH odor eliminator packs (they are volcanic ash - aka. natural odor eliminator) They absorb all yuckie smells ! When we bought our Excusion it had some unusual odors, and I was skepical but after placing one of these packs in the truck all the odor has gone !!

[Zilpha]

I had no idea how helpful you Airforum folks are! Thanks again. A couple of people have suggested ways to soak up or mask the odor. I have 2 bags of the volcanic ash--they help, but they don't stop the odor from sticking to everything in the trailer. (It really is kind of a sticky odor...hard to explain--it's not like anything else.) I've tried Dove soap--but not Irish Spring! I bet that does work well. I've been using natural incense, which works fairly well. "Top" I hope you're right about the smell not being toxic. Thanks Airstreamers!

[Zilpha]

p.s. @splitrock-- LOL!

[cosmos]

I second the volcanic ash. Even a large tray of fresh cat litter will pull the odors out. My wife calls this smell the " antique clock smell". Smell one in an antique store and see what you think. My theory is it comes from the old, nasty insulation in the walls. It may be slightly stronger the day after a rain as leaks seem to reactivate it. We replaced all the insulation during our rebuild and the smell is gone.

One other trick that can help is to add a small computer fan to the stove vent and drive it with one of the cheapie 5 watt solar panels from HF unless you have full time electricity.

Bill aka cosmos.