Wednesday, June 18, 2008

P-U

When we got rid of our gargantuan coffee table and replaced it with . . . nothing (more room for children to play! less temptation to have snacks within arm's reach!) that left me with quite a bit of homeless stuff. Stuff like: notecards and stamps, pens and checkbooks, chapsticks and nail buffers. What to do?

I went to Hobby Lobby and bought a few decorative storage boxes to slide underneath an end table. I found some really cute ones, on sale, that look like an aged, rubbed dark brown leather/suede.

In fact, I think they're covered with real leather.

That maybe came from a dead skunk. Like, roadkill dead.

Because, in the olfactory quiet of my own home, these boxes stink. And they're getting worse with age (I've had them for a couple of months, now).

Have any of you ever run into a household item that reeks when it shouldn't and can't be submerged in hot, soapy water?

Do you have any advice for me?

We're reevaluating our budget right now, in light of our unexpected new car payment (gulp) so I'm thinking that "buy new boxes!" isn't going to be the solution.

5 comments:

Laurie K said...

My m-i-l collects antiques, and when she gets something stinky that can't be washed she buries it in kitty litter. It works for her!

KBO said...

I have no idea how to help you, but that is a crazy problem.

Rob Monroe said...

....sneaky devilish voice.... Ikea has baskets that are good for just about anything, and nothing from Ikea can stink. It's in the DNA..... :o)

No advice on the stinky boxes. Your MIL might have some ideas.

Brian said...

Have you tried leather cleaner yet? You can't submerge the boxes but you can go over them with a sudsy brush.

Just avoid "saddle soap," because it not very good at cleaning. It's intended more for softening and conditioning.

Sarahlynn said...

Laurie, that's a good idea. I don't know about the kitty litter, but maybe I can apply a heavy dose of baking soda. It's what I used on carpet reek in between steamings. Hmmm.

Thanks, KBO. Sadly that's just the tip of the crazy iceberg around here.

Rob, I do believe that might be the worse part of moving out here!

Brian, fabulous. I'll have to pick up some of that and give it a try. I'm willing to ruin the boxes a little if it will make them smell better.