Plastic Smell is Back

[Livo]

I bought a new 28 bottle wine cooler. I scrubbed it with water and baking soda, aired it out for a week until the smell seemed to be gone, got the temp and rh stabilized and stocked it up. I thought I was good to go.

Problem is the smell is back. Not sure what to do now. I'm new to this so I don't have anywhere else to put my boxes. I'm thinking of adding some newspaper and maybe a box of baking soda, but I'm not sure if that will do the trick or if it is ok to do with my boxes in there. Any ideas would be much appreciated because I am at a loss and don't want to ruin my cigars. Thanks in advance.

[Livo]

I have never heard of the plastic smell coming back. You can smell the plastic on the inside over the smell of the cedar and the tobacco?

Yeah, it's only been stocked for 3 weeks or so. My only idea was that it might be from the built-in fan running and blowing out a smell from the fridge's "insides". It's thermoelectric if that matters.

[rfenst]

I bought a new 28 bottle wine cooler. I scrubbed it with water and baking soda, aired it out for a week until the smell seemed to be gone, got the temp and rh stabilized and stocked it up. I thought I was good to go.

Problem is the smell is back. Not sure what to do now. I'm new to this so I don't have anywhere else to put my boxes. I'm thinking of adding some newspaper and maybe a box of baking soda, but I'm not sure if that will do the trick or if it is ok to do with my boxes in there. Any ideas would be much appreciated because I am at a loss and don't want to ruin my cigars. Thanks in advance.

Line it with an odorless vapor barrier covered by Spanish cedar.

[gigabyte056]

The smell could come in if the fan is working non stop.

what is the room temp and the temp the fridge is set to?

if there is a 10c and above difference the fan will work non stop and that is not good on many levels.

another thing is, if you have a small amount of boxes, never tested that since when ever a new fridge comes in it usually means the old ones are packed and tetris like inside...

[Livo]

When you were airing the unit out, was the fan running then also?

The fridge was unplugged when I was airing it out.

[Livo]

The smell could come in if the fan is working non stop.

what is the room temp and the temp the fridge is set to?

if there is a 10c and above difference the fan will work non stop and that is not good on many levels.

another thing is, if you have a small amount of boxes, never tested that since when ever a new fridge comes in it usually means the old ones are packed and tetris like inside...

The room temp is 23c and I'm running the fridge at 16c.

I'm not exactly sure how often the fan is running, but I figured it wasn't too much because the rh is stable.

[canadianbeaver]

I keep a box of baking soda in my fridge at all times. I have never plugged it in.

The boxes in ziplocked plastic freezer bags is a great idea until the fridge calms down.

The digital hydrometer reads ideal numbers all the time.

[Overproof]

Do you have it on a timer? could be excess plastic smell in where the fan is located. Let it run with the door open for half without anything in it. Mine had a weird smell even after cleaning. Did that and it was sweet.

You could always throw a swisher sweet in it to rid of the plastic gank hehe.

[Livo]

Do you have it on a timer? could be excess plastic smell in where the fan is located. Let it run with the door open for half without anything in it. Mine had a weird smell even after cleaning. Did that and it was sweet.

You could always throw a swisher sweet in it to rid of the plastic gank hehe.

My guess is that it is excess plastic smell in where the fan is located. How long did you run yours with the door open, were you going to say half a day? Thanks.

[PigFish]

My guess is that the PVC, ABS or whatever inside is still flashing off. I would empty the thing and let it air out a while.

Plastic and overheated electronics smell different. If you are cooking your fan, unlikely, it has more of burnt coffee smell than it does a plastic smell.

I clean the release agents from mine with alcohol and de-odorize mine like everyone else. Frankly the best thing after cleaning is allowing it to air dry for a week or so. If you are going to clean with a solvent, test a small area first to make sure you don't dissolve the inside with the wrong solvent.

I typically leave these a week without a door before or during modification for service.

Cheers. -Piggy

[Livo]

My guess is that the PVC, ABS or whatever inside is still flashing off. I would empty the thing and let it air out a while.

Plastic and overheated electronics smell different. If you are cooking your fan, unlikely, it has more of burnt coffee smell than it does a plastic smell.

I clean the release agents from mine with alcohol and de-odorize mine like everyone else. Frankly the best thing after cleaning is allowing it to air dry for a week or so. If you are going to clean with a solvent, test a small area first to make sure you don't dissolve the inside with the wrong solvent.

I typically leave these a week without a door before or during modification for service.

Cheers. -Piggy

Thanks for the response, Piggy.

It definitely doesn't smell like burning electronics. Do you think leaving it open and plugged in would help? I left the door open for a couple of hours today and the smell seemed to be totally gone, but as soon as I close the door and turn it on the smell comes back. Do you think whatever is still in there will go away without the unit running? I'm afraid if I leave it open and plugged in I'll burn the unit out (please forgive my inaccurate description).

[brazoseagle]

in the past I've washed mine with a warm distilled water and baking soda mixture, then with a mild dish soap like Dawn and warm distilled water, then again with baking soda and water. Let it air dry and never had any probelms.

[Overproof]

My guess is that it is excess plastic smell in where the fan is located. How long did you run yours with the door open, were you going to say half a day? Thanks.

Couple of hours, then I left it open and off overnight again.

[Upmann2009]

Hi Livo,

I have the same 28 bottles cooler too, from your info, sound like you are in Melbourne, (@20-24c).

I washed my with baking soda mixture like every1 else a few time and left overnight air dry and clean with water. Repeat the process again then put a bag of charcoal (from aquarium for $20 aud) in the cooler while it running at max setting for few days while the unit slightly open/close (a finger gap?). We're all rather throw the cooler away than risk put our cigars in it knowing it will be ruin. So put the cooler fan to the harshest test possible, at one stage I have a mini heater in it to bring the temp to around 40c. My cooler fan always on and I found it usefull because it circulated the air a little and keep the RH evenly spread.

Cheers

Jason

[bvilchez]

in the past I've washed mine with a warm distilled water and baking soda mixture, then with a mild dish soap like Dawn and warm distilled water, then again with baking soda and water. Let it air dry and never had any probelms.

I guess great minds must think alike. I did this exact same process except I ran the fan before the first and in between each washing. No problems whatsoever. I've got two 28 bottle vino FWIW and no plastic smell in either.

[Livo]

I've got the sticks out of it and have it running and filled with newspaper, charcoal wrapped in newspaper, and a box of baking soda.

Hoping the sticks are ok for a little while while I get the wine cooler taken care of.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

[LordAnubis]

2 weeks ago i bought a wine cooler and it had no plastic smel lafter i cleaned it. I put my sticks in int and the week i was at home no smell. I came back after a week of work away and there was a plastic smell in it. So now ive taken everythign out and cleaned again, and left the door open for a bit and we'll see what happeens.

[Livo]

2 weeks ago i bought a wine cooler and it had no plastic smel lafter i cleaned it. I put my sticks in int and the week i was at home no smell. I came back after a week of work away and there was a plastic smell in it. So now ive taken everythign out and cleaned again, and left the door open for a bit and we'll see what happeens.

Which unit did you buy?

[LordAnubis]

Vintec 30 bottle

[sengjc]

Cedar sheets? Might help get rid of the plastic odour.

[UpInSmoak]

I'm not sure what type of humidification you are using but I use beads. I've found that beads, when recharged, take on a unique odor. Maybe the smell is from something else? Also, I've noticed that varnished and lacquered boxes have a smell to them as well. Just food for thought I guess....

[srsMichael]

I would take everything out, put a bowl of baking soda in the bottom, fill it with news paper or activated charcoal, and let it run for a day or so. I would put it on a timer so it wasnt only running for 30 mins every 4 hours or so. A day or so of this should do the trick

[adam23]

bada bad smell....phew

[Perla]

What about washing out with vinegar and put some fresh air inside.

May be you put a bowl with coffee grounds inside??

[Livo]

Looks like this thread has been resurrected. Thanks for the input guys but I went ahead and picked up an awesome end table humidor. Cant beat that cedar smell. The wine fridge is only for wine now. Thanks again!!