An unpleasant aroma can have a hugely negative effect on the overall vibe of a home. And of all the permeating odors to have this disagreeable impact, burnt plastic might be among the most pernicious. Not only does it have a strong and undeniably nasty aroma, but the burnt plastic scent can linger for an annoyingly long time and be extra tricky to get rid of. Luckily, there are some methods of clearing a burnt plastic smoke smell from your home safely and effectively.
Identifying Burning Plastic Smell in House
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Aside from being less than nice on the nostrils, a burnt plastic scent can have other negative ramifications. Burning plastic can have toxic symptoms and be very bad for the lungs and respiratory system, according to Healthline. It can even release toxic carcinogens that can be fatal, as reported by the Des Moines Register. The effects of burning plastics in the environment are also very negative.
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The first step to clearing a burnt plastic smell is locating the source of it. Once you have, you should turn off and unplug the device that's melting and burning the plastic and immediately cease use.
Ventilating Burnt Plastic Smell
Once you're sure the source of the burning plastic has been removed, you should properly ventilate the room. While the scent of the burnt plastic is unpleasant, the actual substances contained in the smoke could be dangerous. Your first priority should be making the air safe again as soon as possible.
Make sure you open all of the windows in your house to get a proper airflow circulating. This will help dissipate any potentially harmful chemicals and smoke particles in the air. You should also turn on any ceiling or extractor fans to speed up the process, as recommended by Sentry Air.
Clearing Burnt Plastic Smell
Once you've left your home to air out for at least an hour to remove the substantial smoke, you can start to consider how to clear the burnt plastic smoke smell from your home. While there are air fresheners, candles and incenses on the market that all claim to improve a home's aroma, they tend to only mask an unpleasant odor rather than actually getting rid of it.
In terms of a safe and natural deodorizer, there's nothing better on the market than plain white vinegar. It absorbs bad odors, and its scent quickly dissipates afterward. According to CNET, you can mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water to create a natural scent-removing cleaner.
This can be decanted into a spray bottle and used in lieu of an air freshener. You can also fill some shallow containers with your vinegar mixture and leave them in the affected areas to allow them to absorb the burnt plastic scent over time. Change the solution to a fresh batch every day for maximum absorption. If you're concerned about the scent of vinegar, Samsung recommends adding vanilla extract, lemon juice or flavored teabags to your solution.