Inside a cedar closet
Closets lined with aromatic red cedar provide a pleasant aroma for storage. The wood absorbs odors and moisture, keeping clothes fresh and mildew-free, and repels moth larvae that can damage clothes. That aroma fades over time, however, as the pores in cedar paneling become clogged, particularly in humid climates. A light sanding will restore the scent in most cases, and there are also steps you can take to make the scent last longer before requiring treatment again. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Bringing Back the Cedar Scent
1. Empty the closet of all items and cover the closet floor with plastic to protect the floor.
2. Vacuum the closet paneling to remove all cedar dust. Wipe the paneling clean with a tack cloth, a sticky cloth used to remove dust and debris from wood surfaces.
3. Fit an orbital sander with fine-grit sandpaper and evenly sand the closet paneling, applying moderate pressure to the sander. Sand back and forth in overlapping horizontal strokes, taking care not to clip the adjacent walls when sanding near corners. Change the sandpaper if it gets clogged with debris or dust.
4. Vacuum the walls again to remove dust created during the sanding. Wipe the panels clean with a tack cloth.
5. Tie cedar shavings, available from some lumberyards, inside sacks made from old stockings or cheesecloth. Hang the sacks inside the closet to further boost the cedar smell.
6. Apply cedar oil to the closet paneling if the cedar scent is still weak. Candle stores and craft stores carry the oil.
7. Remove the plastic floor covering and put all items back into the closet. Keep the closet door closed to preserve the scent.
Tags: closet paneling, clean with, clean with tack, remove dust, tack cloth
