I have a bedroom furniture set which I purchased 8 month ago from a
large retailer. It is solid wood with wood veneers, and drawers are
made of plywoods (uncoated).

I have a big problem with its smell and I believe it is due to the
formaldehyde in the plywood and glue. I've been trying to air it out
by opening all the drawers and windows, but it's been 8 month, and
although it probably is a little better, it still smells strongly if
windows are closed overnight. The worst part is, I get a bad sour
throat if I sleep in the room. My wife is pregnant so I am being very
cautious, we've been sleeping in a different room since we purchased
the furniture.

The smell is mostly coming from the drawers, which have uncoated
plywood boards, and a little bit from the veneers, probably from the
glue. This is consistent with the information I can find on
formaldehyde. It's kind of a warm paint like smell.

I called the company and explained the problem, but it doesn't look
like they are willing to take it back. I want to know if someone can
suggest a better way for me to handle this. I can:

1) Take my loss and throw out the furniture. It's $3k, but I don't
want to risk my life or my unborn child's health with it. (We gonna
need that master bedroom when the kid is born). But 3K is a lot of
money. I'd rather not go this route if other options are better.

2) Take a less loss and sell it on craigslist. Used furniture
unfortunately does not sell much, and I don't know if I'll be able to
sell it if at all.

3) Find some companies to come out and test the level of formaldehyde
in the air or in the product. If I leave the windows and door closed
overnight, the room definitely smells. If I have some kind of proof
that the product is a health hazard, then the company may take it
back. If the product is indeed not safe, I don't want others to be buy
it either.

What company does these type of testing? I called the manufacturer of
the furniture, but they claim they follow all standards and smell
should go away after 2 to 3 days, yeah right! I recall a while ago a
lady called some company to test the mercury level in the room after
she broke a florescent light... Is this the same type of company? Who
did the testing in the lead level in toys? The manufacturers right?

4) Does the government offer any help in dealing with these type of
product safety issues? Who should I contact?

The product is made in China. We all heard about the lead paint on
toys. My gut feeling is the factories that made these plywoods in
China does not follow the US standards on how much off gasing the
plywoods can have (for indoor use). What's the best way to get this
tested one way or the other? If I have to spend some money to test
this (say $100 or $200, I have no idea how much these things cost) I
don't mind, but if it cost $1000, then probably not.

Thanks in advance.

Ray

On Jun 16, 8:18*pm, wrote:
I have a bedroom furniture set which I purchased 8 month ago from a
large retailer. It is solid wood with wood veneers, and drawers are
made of plywoods (uncoated).

I have a big problem with its smell and I believe it is due to the
formaldehyde in the plywood and glue. I've been trying to air it out
by opening all the drawers and windows, but it's been 8 month, and
although it probably is a little better, it still smells strongly if
windows are closed overnight. The worst part is, I get a bad sour
throat if I sleep in the room. My wife is pregnant so I am being very
cautious, we've been sleeping in a different room since we purchased
the furniture.

The smell is mostly coming from the drawers, which have uncoated
plywood boards, and a little bit from the veneers, probably from the
glue. This is consistent with the information I can find on
formaldehyde. It's kind of a warm paint like smell.

I called the company and explained the problem, but it doesn't look
like they are willing to take it back. I want to know if someone can
suggest a better way for me to handle this. I can:

1) Take my loss and throw out the furniture. It's $3k, but I don't
want to risk my life or my unborn child's health with it. (We gonna
need that master bedroom when the kid is born). But 3K is a lot of
money. *I'd rather not go this route if other options are better.

2) Take a less loss and sell it on craigslist. Used furniture
unfortunately does not sell much, and I don't know if I'll be able to
sell it if at all.

3) Find some companies to come out and test the level of formaldehyde
in the air or in the product. If I leave the windows and door closed
overnight, the room definitely smells. If I have some kind of proof
that the product is a health hazard, then the company may take it
back. If the product is indeed not safe, I don't want others to be buy
it either.

What company does these type of testing? I called the manufacturer of
the furniture, but they claim they follow all standards and smell
should go away after 2 to 3 days, yeah right! I recall a while ago a
lady called some company to test the mercury level in the room after
she broke a florescent light... Is this the same type of company? Who
did the testing in the lead level in toys? The manufacturers right?

4) Does the government offer any help in dealing with these type of
product safety issues? Who should I contact?

The product is made in China. We all heard about the lead paint on
toys. My gut feeling is the factories that made these plywoods in
China does not follow the US standards on how much off gasing the
plywoods can have (for indoor use). What's the best way to get this
tested one way or the other? If I have to spend some money to test
this (say $100 or $200, I have no idea how much these things cost) I
don't mind, but if it cost $1000, then probably not.

Thanks in advance.

Ray

I would buy a few cans of spray varnish at a big box hardware store
and spray everything in sight on the drawers except the fronts which
should already be finished. Then as soon as the spray varnish has
driec to handle, put the drawers outside in the sun to air and dry. 3
or 4 cans shouldd be plenty for one or two dressers. Total cost under
$25 so worth the effort.

Also spray the inside of the main dresser(s) with the varnish and
also put out in the sun to air out. Have you had someone else, a
neighbor or friend, see if they can smell the problem. IF it is as
bad as you say, take a piece (drawer) back to the store where you
ordered the furniture. You do sound a little bit like you are over
sensitive to this.

On Jun 16, 6:18*pm, wrote:
I have a bedroom furniture set which I purchased 8 month ago from a
large retailer. It is solid wood with wood veneers, and drawers are
made of plywoods (uncoated).

I have a big problem with its smell and I believe it is due to the
formaldehyde in the plywood and glue. I've been trying to air it out
by opening all the drawers and windows, but it's been 8 month, and
although it probably is a little better, it still smells strongly if
windows are closed overnight. The worst part is, I get a bad sour
throat if I sleep in the room. My wife is pregnant so I am being very
cautious, we've been sleeping in a different room since we purchased
the furniture.

The smell is mostly coming from the drawers, which have uncoated
plywood boards, and a little bit from the veneers, probably from the
glue. This is consistent with the information I can find on
formaldehyde. It's kind of a warm paint like smell.

I called the company and explained the problem, but it doesn't look
like they are willing to take it back. I want to know if someone can
suggest a better way for me to handle this. I can:

1) Take my loss and throw out the furniture. It's $3k, but I don't
want to risk my life or my unborn child's health with it. (We gonna
need that master bedroom when the kid is born). But 3K is a lot of
money. *I'd rather not go this route if other options are better.

2) Take a less loss and sell it on craigslist. Used furniture
unfortunately does not sell much, and I don't know if I'll be able to
sell it if at all.

3) Find some companies to come out and test the level of formaldehyde
in the air or in the product. If I leave the windows and door closed
overnight, the room definitely smells. If I have some kind of proof
that the product is a health hazard, then the company may take it
back. If the product is indeed not safe, I don't want others to be buy
it either.

What company does these type of testing? I called the manufacturer of
the furniture, but they claim they follow all standards and smell
should go away after 2 to 3 days, yeah right! I recall a while ago a
lady called some company to test the mercury level in the room after
she broke a florescent light... Is this the same type of company? Who
did the testing in the lead level in toys? The manufacturers right?

4) Does the government offer any help in dealing with these type of
product safety issues? Who should I contact?

The product is made in China. We all heard about the lead paint on
toys. My gut feeling is the factories that made these plywoods in
China does not follow the US standards on how much off gasing the
plywoods can have (for indoor use). What's the best way to get this
tested one way or the other? If I have to spend some money to test
this (say $100 or $200, I have no idea how much these things cost) I
don't mind, but if it cost $1000, then probably not.

Thanks in advance..

Ray

Formaldehyde is very serious. Go ahead and contact the company that
did your mercury testing, chances are they test for formaldehyde as
well. The typical method is to sample the air thru a glass ampule for
a ppm (parts per million) exposure over a given period. If it were a
workplace, OSHA would have jurisdiction. I suppose that the Consumer
Products Safety Commission has jurisdiction, but Bush has gutted their
funding and has appointed his Texas cronies over Federal agencies,
that have neither the knowledge or the desire to enforce the law,
quite like the response to Katrina and border enforcement. If you live
in a state that takes these things seriously, such as California, you
will get some help from them. With your test results, you could match
the permissible exposure limits (check the code of federal
regulations, EPA on the internet), and you could sue the store to take
it back and refund your money, a laborious process. Another route
would be to contact the media, a local TV station or newspaper, stores
hate bad publicity, but if the store has a large advertising contract
with the station or newspaper, they may spike it.
You are right about goods from China. They have no health,
environmental, safety or industrial standards, and even if they did,
their gov't is so rife with corruption, patronage and bribery that it
would not matter if they did. We have no way of inspecting goods from
China, and politicians here are so dependent on Chinese money that
they have no desire to change the present system. I avoid Chinese
products whenever possible.
If you don't know where to start, just Google "formaldehyde exposure"
and follow the links. Best wishes.-Jitney

I agree. We checked out some Chinese furniture and found that the condition
of the wood, species of wood (unknown), the construction techniques, and the
finish were all substandard, while the retailer charged as much for it as
many North American made pieces. I avoid Chinese furniture like the plague,
and buy local products.


wrote in message
...
On Jun 16, 6:18 pm, wrote:
I have a bedroom furniture set which I purchased 8 month ago from a
large retailer. It is solid wood with wood veneers, and drawers are
made of plywoods (uncoated).

I have a big problem with its smell and I believe it is due to the
formaldehyde in the plywood and glue. I've been trying to air it out
by opening all the drawers and windows, but it's been 8 month, and
although it probably is a little better, it still smells strongly if
windows are closed overnight. The worst part is, I get a bad sour
throat if I sleep in the room. My wife is pregnant so I am being very
cautious, we've been sleeping in a different room since we purchased
the furniture.

The smell is mostly coming from the drawers, which have uncoated
plywood boards, and a little bit from the veneers, probably from the
glue. This is consistent with the information I can find on
formaldehyde. It's kind of a warm paint like smell.

I called the company and explained the problem, but it doesn't look
like they are willing to take it back. I want to know if someone can
suggest a better way for me to handle this. I can:

1) Take my loss and throw out the furniture. It's $3k, but I don't
want to risk my life or my unborn child's health with it. (We gonna
need that master bedroom when the kid is born). But 3K is a lot of
money. I'd rather not go this route if other options are better.

2) Take a less loss and sell it on craigslist. Used furniture
unfortunately does not sell much, and I don't know if I'll be able to
sell it if at all.

3) Find some companies to come out and test the level of formaldehyde
in the air or in the product. If I leave the windows and door closed
overnight, the room definitely smells. If I have some kind of proof
that the product is a health hazard, then the company may take it
back. If the product is indeed not safe, I don't want others to be buy
it either.

What company does these type of testing? I called the manufacturer of
the furniture, but they claim they follow all standards and smell
should go away after 2 to 3 days, yeah right! I recall a while ago a
lady called some company to test the mercury level in the room after
she broke a florescent light... Is this the same type of company? Who
did the testing in the lead level in toys? The manufacturers right?

4) Does the government offer any help in dealing with these type of
product safety issues? Who should I contact?

The product is made in China. We all heard about the lead paint on
toys. My gut feeling is the factories that made these plywoods in
China does not follow the US standards on how much off gasing the
plywoods can have (for indoor use). What's the best way to get this
tested one way or the other? If I have to spend some money to test
this (say $100 or $200, I have no idea how much these things cost) I
don't mind, but if it cost $1000, then probably not.

Thanks in advance..

Ray

Formaldehyde is very serious. Go ahead and contact the company that
did your mercury testing, chances are they test for formaldehyde as
well. The typical method is to sample the air thru a glass ampule for
a ppm (parts per million) exposure over a given period. If it were a
workplace, OSHA would have jurisdiction. I suppose that the Consumer
Products Safety Commission has jurisdiction, but Bush has gutted their
funding and has appointed his Texas cronies over Federal agencies,
that have neither the knowledge or the desire to enforce the law,
quite like the response to Katrina and border enforcement. If you live
in a state that takes these things seriously, such as California, you
will get some help from them. With your test results, you could match
the permissible exposure limits (check the code of federal
regulations, EPA on the internet), and you could sue the store to take
it back and refund your money, a laborious process. Another route
would be to contact the media, a local TV station or newspaper, stores
hate bad publicity, but if the store has a large advertising contract
with the station or newspaper, they may spike it.
You are right about goods from China. They have no health,
environmental, safety or industrial standards, and even if they did,
their gov't is so rife with corruption, patronage and bribery that it
would not matter if they did. We have no way of inspecting goods from
China, and politicians here are so dependent on Chinese money that
they have no desire to change the present system. I avoid Chinese
products whenever possible.
If you don't know where to start, just Google "formaldehyde exposure"
and follow the links. Best wishes.-Jitney

My skin starts turning pink if I so much
walk into a cheap leather goods store
form all the formaldahyde lurking there.

On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:47:33 -0400, h wrote:



I would buy a few cans of spray varnish at a big box hardware store
and spray everything in sight on the drawers except the fronts which
should already be finished. Then as soon as the spray varnish has
driec to handle, put the drawers outside in the sun to air and dry. 3
or 4 cans shouldd be plenty for one or two dressers. Total cost under
$25 so worth the effort.

While an excellent idea that will probably work, I wouldn't do this until
all other remedies have been exhausted. I would get the stuff tested, then
insist that the company take it back. Also, immediately contact your state's
Attorney General. Any valid complaint from a consumer with the words "cc:
Attorney General, State of XX" will strike fear into the heart of any
reputable business owner.

If you have no luck with the Consumer Protection Agency or the AG's office
or the company itself, then try the local news stations. Usually they have a
reporter who does consumer issue pieces, and if you play the pregnant
wife/dangerous fumes card, you could get a nice segment aired at 6 and 11.
Even just threatening the store with bad local press ("the segment is airing
next week") could get them to take it back.

The big problem is that it's been 8 months. I would have returned it after 2
days and voided the credit card sale. You DID use a credit card, right? If
so, contact your issuer and see if they can help. You're always ok within 6
months, but since you've been in contact with the store all along you might
be ok. Explain that they've been telling you the same BS for 8 months,
pregnant wife, yadda yadda, and maybe you'll get some play.

If all else fails, try the varnish route. Polyurethane works too.



We moved into a newly constructed office with sealed windows. I was
getting a headache everyday for 2-4 months and found out it was due to
the out gassing of formaldehyde. After 6 months, the out gassing
slowed down and it wasn't until then I stopped taking a daily aspirin.
If you can bring fresh air into the area for a few months, all the
better. New carpeting can be bad too.

replying to nospam, Tracy63 wrote:
I have now ...Exactly the same problem,mine it's been a week, and I did lots
of things, 2bowls of baking soda in the room, ground coffee, tons of cut
lemons, essentials oil diffuser... strong smell in the drawers and ...

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...do-313213-.htm

replying to Tracy63, ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
Other than the fact you are replying to a *seven year old thread* use Febreze.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...o-1125083-.htm

On Wed, 22 Feb 2017 02:14:01 GMT, Tracy63
m wrote:

replying to nospam, Tracy63 wrote:
I have now ...Exactly the same problem,mine it's been a week, and I did lots
of things, 2bowls of baking soda in the room, ground coffee, tons of cut
lemons, essentials oil diffuser... strong smell in the drawers and ...

You didn't buy one of the FEMA trailers after Katrina, did you?