stogieluver Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puros Y Vino Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmac77 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 My treatment for coolers and containers is as follows. 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. Add back hot water with a few tablespoons of baking soda. Seal container and soak for an hour or more. Swish and shake periodically. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puros Y Vino Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 I have a sickness. I admit it. Good point about a little rub and scrub. Couldn't hurt and probably helps. Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stogieluver Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 Thanks for the help. I have started the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeeGar Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cohiba Stevie Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottaBeKD Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stogieluver Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanuckSARTech Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottaBeKD Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stogieluver Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stogieluver Posted July 10, 2013 Author Share Posted July 10, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Rock on! Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottaBeKD Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Success not load 'er up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stargazer14 Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rook Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samredarmy Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Keep rocking Man :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stogieluver Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbo1 Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 That is a new one on me. So it really works? Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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