Activated charcoal? What gets out stink from a freezer?

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Forum -> Household Management -> Cleaning & Laundry

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Liba

Thu, Aug 18 2011, 10:25 am

We went on vacation and despite our neighbors checking the house 1-2x a week, no one noticed that the main circuit breaker had tripped. The freezer was off for ~2 weeks (as were the phones, that is when the caller ID record ended) and all of the meat and chicken in it rotted.

B"H it was emptied and cleaned out and sunned for a day, but it still stinks. It was bleached, vinegared, and I put baking soda in it, but it needs more help.

I did a bit of research and though maybe activated charcoal might help. Has anyone tried it? I have no idea where to find it in E"Y. Has anyone here purchased such a thing or anything better here or in the US?

Thanks!!

zaq

Thu, Aug 18 2011, 11:37 am

Use charcoal briquettes sold for barbecues. It's not a miracle cure, though--it'll take at least several days to several weeks to get rid of all traces of odor. You can try masking residual odor with a cotton ball soaked in the flavoring extract or essential oil of your choice. Vanilla is good because it doesn't clash with most flavors. Mint or anise are effective but you might not want those flavors to permeate your chicken soup.

chippy

Thu, Aug 18 2011, 11:41 am

this exact thing happened to us when we got home last week. but unfortunately we need to throw out our freezer (its faulty) but I have also been in search for compressed charcoal. I have never seen it in the grocery store, but that doesn't mean that they don't have it. I just don't know where to find it. I would try and get the bbq charcoal but they sell those in large bags and the compressed or activated charcoal (not sure which it is) is small and soon as is. if you find out where, or if anyone knows where to find this I would love to know too!

Liba

Thu, Aug 18 2011, 3:16 pm

Someone suggested a pet supply store. I am IY"H going to look next week. Smile

zaq

Thu, Aug 18 2011, 3:45 pm

Yep. Pet supply. Charcoal for fish tanks. I should have thought of that myself, considering I've had a jar of the stuff on a shelf in my medicine chest (in case of poisoning by mouth) for 20 years... However, a quart jar of the fish tank grade will cost you as much as a small bag of the barbecue stuff, and it's messier because it's granular rather than in briquette form. OTOH, greater surface area means more efficient action, so take your pick. (You can always break up the briquettes with a hammer.) Just don't get the quick-lighting briquettes that need no lighter fluid. They have lighter fluid already in them--which you **don't** want in your freezer!

Marion

Thu, Aug 18 2011, 3:46 pm

Crumpled up newspapers.

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