Plastic smell (I know...search is your friend), but

[stogieluver]

I have searched and can't find discussion to help me with this problem.

I recently purchased a "water tight" plastic box, about 28"L x 18" W x 18" D, which has a lid with six locking clips and which also has a foam type weather stripping around the lid to keep it "water tight".

I have soaked the box in hot water and dish detergent, let it air out for a few days inside, then washed it out with 409 cleaner and water and rinsed it clean and left it outside in the hot sun for a couple of days. When I open the box, it still has the plastic smell. I don't think I'll ever get rid of it.

My major concern is that the smell will permeate my cigars. Will it??

I am only storing a couple of boxes and a cab of RASS in there right now, but I have more coming. I have put several pieces of Spanish cedar that came in cigar boxes in there and I am using 6 1/2" tube of Heartfelt beads that are keeping the RH at around 68%. I have seen forum discussions about using some type of vapor barrier and also lining it with Spanish cedar. I have gone to the local building supply stores and they don't have Spanish cedar. I can't determine what others are using for a vapor barrier that in itself wouldn't have a smell associated with it.

I have three desk top humidors I've acquired over the years, but they are nearly full of singles, so this box is my next step until I can save enough to purchase a really nice Aristocrat.

Any advice to help me get rid of the plastic smell would be much appreciated.

[Puros Y Vino]

Get a food grade container. If that smell didn't go away with all the washing and prepping you did, don't risk putting cigars in it. Ask people which coolidors they bought and buy one of them. You have too much to lose IMO.

[tmac77]

I am pretty sure that I have the identical boxes that you have for my surplus cigars that do not fit into my humidor. Bought them at the container store. I am not sure why you still have a strong plastic smell. I simply did a light wash and rinse with dish soap. Put about 10 or so cedar linings in them with 16 oz. of beads from cigarmoney let them sit for a couple of days and plastic smell is minimal. load it up and they are great.

[Ginseng]

My treatment for coolers and containers is as follows.

1. Wash with hot water, Dawn dishwashing liquid, and some unscented bleach. Swish and scrub for a couple of minutes. This removes any plastic processing lubricants, dirt, and oil.
   
2. Add back hot water with a few tablespoons of baking soda. Seal container and soak for an hour or more. Swish and shake periodically.
   
3. Drain, rinse, dry. Close for an hour or so. Open and inspect for smell. A little bit of clean plastic scent is fine. Any Spanish cedar you have in the container, whether in the form of boxes or loose pieces will serve to mask the slight plastic smell. Noxious chemical smells of any kind are not okay. If you have this, dedicate the cooler for picnic or beer cooler duty.
   

This process has served me well. I've since added another cooler or two but as you can see, it gets the job done.

Wilkey

[Puros Y Vino]

Wilkey. You do have a problem! I think you're due for an Aristocrat.

I pretty much prep my coolers using the same process. I tend to scrub the baking soda in with the coarse side of a sponge. Lots of time in the open air with direct sunlight helps too. When the smell is gone I add a little distilled water for the final wipe down. After that I dry it and prep it for use.

[Ginseng]

I have a sickness. I admit it.

Good point about a little rub and scrub. Couldn't hurt and probably helps.

Wilkey

[stogieluver]

Thanks for the help. I have started the process.

[SeeGar]

Wilkey is aweome.

Ginsing's suggestion regaring baking soda works for me all the time. Do it once, put cigars in, then cigar odour all the way down. Works great.

[Cohiba Stevie]

Some excellent suggestions there but franks advice of rubbing the baking soda in with a sponge is gold.

Let us know how it turns out

Good luck!

[GottaBeKD]

I followed a process similar to franks. After wipe down I put in activated charcoal used for aquarium filters to draw out any left over smell. Apparently crumpled up news paper works as well.

[stogieluver]

Okay, so I looked around in my laundry room and found a large container of GoJo, which for those that don't know, is a pumice based hand soap largely used by auto mechanics and the like to remove grease from their hands. Using a sponge, I rubbed the box down with the GoJo mixed with water and baking soda. I rinsed it out and ran some more hot water in it, mixed in some more baking soda and washed it down one last time with a sponge. I rinsed again, dried it with a towel, and left it open for about 24 hours. After closing it tight over night, the plastic smell seems to be gone and is replaced by a faint orange smell from the GoJo. I left it closed all day while at work and will leave it closed overnight and will check it once more in the morning before placing any cigars in it. I think all will be okay as long as the fruity orange smell doesn't get any stronger.

I will post back tomorrow and let you know what the final results are. Thanks for all the good advice.

[CanuckSARTech]

Agreed with the others. A slight variation on both Wilkey's and Frank's methods:

For setting up a new coolerdor, I use about a 1/4 box of baking soda, get it wet and rub it in and all around like Frank said, almost like a "paste" to the sides of the cooler, and then dump all the remaining baking soda in there. Let it sit for 24 hours or so. Wash out again, rinse real well, and then let it sit open and air out for a good two or three days (out in the summer sunlight if possible). Then, when it's all good to go, a simple wash out again from any outdoor residues/contaminants. Rinse out real well, dry, and it should be good to go.

IMO, only use a good quality but mild soap, like a neutrally scented Dawn or something like that. A lot of other cleaners and soaps can sometimes leave a smell that could be worse for affecting your cigars than that which you were trying to get rid of in the first place.

[GottaBeKD]

That stuff is petroleum based. I would wash and scrub many times before putting any cigars in there.

http://www.gojo.com/united-states/market/automotive/~/media/GOJO/Products/MSDS/US%20Canada/English/GOJOCherryGelPumiceHandCleaner_101512.pdf

[stogieluver]

Forgot to mention that I also washed (scrubbed) it out with Dawn and hot water as the last step. If it still has the odor tomorrow, I will give it another scrubbing with baking soda and dawn and go from there. This just has not been as easy as I thought it would be. I'll be glad when I can get an Aristocrat or some other real humidor. In the mean time, the three desk tops I have and this damned plastic box will have to do.

[Ginseng]

It's been a journey already and not even a cigar in yet. Don't worry, it gets a lot better from here on out.

Wilkey

[stogieluver]

I have scrubbed it with a thick paste of baking soda and water and left that covered overnight. Next day rinsed all of that out and let dry open for a day and a half and covered it this morning. Opened it and took a sniff or two when I got home this afternoon and it seems to be about 90% odor free. I think its finally safe for my babies to sleep in.

Thanks to all for your helpful advice.

[Ginseng]

Rock on!

Wilkey

[GottaBeKD]

Success not load 'er up...

[stargazer14]

Wilkey, I saw that photo and my first thought was 'he has a problem',

but I see some others beat me to letting you know.

I am going to notify you first when I post my

"How To Turn Any Piece Of Furniture or Abandoned Car Into A Humidor" blog.

Here is a photo I took inside the giant "Snoopy" balloon used in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Your house can look like this too...

[rook]

I've found that wiping the inside of the coolers down with Destilled Vinegar letting it set open outside for a couple of hours then washing it out with distilled water works perfectly every time. For what it's worth.

[samredarmy]

Keep rocking Man :D

[stogieluver]

An update: almost two months have gone by now and all is well. The tupperdor has several boxes in it and the 6" heartfelt beads unit is maintaining the rh at a steady 65%; temp stays in a range of 70 to 73 degrees due to my central a/c running almost 24 hours/day this time of year. The plastic smell is gone and has been replaced with the smell of Spanish cedar and Cuban tobacco leaf. I can read the hygrometer through the clear plastic top and I occasionally open the locked top to allow some fresh air to invade the box.

Thanks for all the help.

[Ginseng]

Wilkey

[jimbo1]

late to the party, but crumpled up newspaper can also help get rid of the plastic smell....worked with my cooler, just leave it closed for a few days. Happy to see it worked out for you!

[Ginseng]

That is a new one on me. So it really works?

Wilkey