wood varnish smell

[saldal]

Can anyone please help me with a solution to rid a sideboard from a strong wood varnish smell inside the drawers and cupboard.
I recently purchased an item from an auction that i cannot return. The smell inside the drawers is overwhelming and is taking over the whole house.
Can anyone please tell me what to do to get rid of the varnish smell that is giving me a headache!
thanks

[Big Shed]

saldal, if it just fresh varnish, placing a bowl of vinegar in the cupboard/drawers should get rid of the smell within a week or so.

Perhaps placing the cupboard in the shed or garage in the meantime will alleviate the problem within the house?

[saldal]

i have tried using vinegar but the smell is still there, it is toxic smelling probably from china i would say
should i sand it back and apply a new finish on the insides?

[astrid]

put a box of bi carb soda in it (opened)
if this dosent work, wack a coat of shellac in it
astrid

[saldal]

the varnish or stain inside the cupboards is unsealed if you wipe it with a wet cloth it turns the cloth black, should i coat it with a water or oil based sealant, would that get rid of the smell?

[echnidna]

sounds like its been flooded with linseed oil.

try damping your rag with turps, this should remove the excess oil.

[Honorary Bloke]

put a box of bi carb soda in it (opened)
if this dosent work, wack a coat of shellac in it
astrid

[saldal]

would the linseed oil be causing the toxic odour?
can i just paint the shellac over the top of the linseed oil and leave to dry?

[saldal]

If i painted either of the following on it would that get rid of the smell
Cabots Crystal clear
or Dulux preplock Stain blocker shellac based.
Sorry to keep on about this but it is stinking our entire house out!

[echnidna]

if the oil is not dry you cannot overcoat it.

[MacS]

Never ever use Varnish or Polyurethane inside cabinets or inside of the drawers.

Only use Shellac or don't coat it at all, you can try to coat over with Shellac, but in the end your probally wasting your time, your going to have to the strip inside the piece and also the drawers.

That's why they sold it, it could have smelled like that for month's trying to "air" it out.

Sorry, for the bad news, your not the first one this happened too..