I accidentally spilled about a cup of kerosene on our hardwood floor and rug in our 450 sq. ft. ground floor apartment. I cleaned the floor right away using laundry detergent and even applied wood oil, but the smell lingers. My wife also put the small rug in the washing machine, and now that smells like kerosene too, even after three cleaning cycles with bleach, vinegar, and baking soda. The entire apartment reeked, so we're setting up a tent outside tonight because I'm worried about safety. Any tips for getting rid of the smell? And do you think it's safe to sleep indoors despite the odor? I know it might be just a small amount, but I'm a bit paranoid about it.
1 Answer
Try soaking up the kerosene from the hardwood and wash it dry. Unfortunately, it seems the rug might be a lost cause. If you can handle the fumes, there's usually not much hazard involved, but getting rid of anything that's soaked will help a lot with the smell. Just give it some time and ventilate!
Thanks for the advice! I'm a bit worried about the fumes, especially since my wife is pregnant. Is there any risk I should be aware of?