Help please! Polyurethane question!

[Maia]

Hello, not sure if someone can help but hopefully so! I did a small project which included paper mache boxes covered in a basic mod podge (basically water and glue) and then lastly, I sprayed with a few coats of clear satin polyurethane. I hadn’t taken the smell issue into account prior to starting the project. I’m putting body soap inside of the boxes and giving away as gifts but I don’t want to do that if I cannot get rid of the polyurethane smell. Is there anything I can do to get rid of or at least lessen the odor??? Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would but the box in a garbage bag along with a few pieces of BBQ charcoal - plain nothing like hickory or any other fancy kind. at the end of the day discard the charcoal and put new ones in.. It might take a day or two but charcoal is good at absorbing odors.

 

[Maia]

I would but the box in a garbage bag along with a few pieces of BBQ charcoal - plain nothing like hickory or any other fancy kind. at the end of the day discard the charcoal and put new ones in.. It might take a day or two but charcoal is good at absorbing odors.

Thank you, I will give that a try. Last night, I put baking soda in plastic bags, left the bags open and placed them, along with the boxes, inside a brown paper bag. I had read that sometimes baking soda will help to absorb the odor also. When I get home, if I don't see much of an improvement I'll try the charcoal, thank you!