Thanks for your response. But these Vellux blankets have this smell. It doesn't bother other people, but because I have a hyper-sensitive nose and lungs I can't be around the smell. I have purchased Vellux blankets in the past. Probably have 4 older ones. They all smelled, but I didn't have the hyper-sensitivity back then. So it wasn't an issue. Now 4 or 5 years later and lots of washings the smell has disappeared. But now that I'm hyper-sensitive I need to figure how to hasten the process. I can't wait months or years for the new to wear off. I use all the rooms in my house so I don't have a place to keep it until then.

We bought an area rug made by Safavieh and it has a STRONG chemical smell to it, very much like floor paste wax. I discovered that the chemical toulene, used in some paste waxes, is also used in the latex that backs some rugs. We tried baking soda, no result. We ordered a product that's supposed to remove such odors, nothing happened. We had to get rid of the rug, couldn't return it because we had "treated" it! Please note that other rugs that we have from Safavieh do NOT have this problem. Some houseplants DO remove odors from the air by the way, but they don't neutralize them at the source. A bad rug will continue to off gas, even if houseplants keep the smell down. Toulene (banned in Cal.) has lots of lousy side effects when inhaled. A real shame that the latex backing used on affordable rugs can't be made without horrible smelling chemicals by now, in the 21st century.

I wouldn't go advertising the fact that you may have some uncapped oil lines buried on your property. Not in this day and age! The EPA might get hold of this info and if the want to be s---heads about it the could make you tear up half your property juat to make sure there isn't any contamination. Big $$$$$! I've seen it happen.

I'm sorry, I have not had a chance to get any charcoal. The smell is still there. Not as strong as it was a few weeks ago and after a month it is tolerable, but everyone who comes into my new room asks "what is that smell?" This is INSANE how much worse the smell is after this supposed VOC compliant crap. There is no way in hell this is better for you. for the first 3 weeks I could not even stand being in the room as I would get a headache after breathing this in for 20 minutes. I loved the old smell of the old stuff and it would be gone within a week. This smell is going on over a month and It is still lingering. I think we need to find another brand or get everyone to complain to these varnish companies to bring back the old formulas. Why did they even change it? How in the heck did they ever test this and Say "Yeah this is better!! You would have to have absolutely no sense of smell to think this stuff is good for anyone to breath or use. Do they really think by changing the smell or recipe of varnish we are saving the planet? It is ridiculous!! I'm so sorry I wish I had the answer for you. I just left my windows open a crack for days until it was tolerable. Also you could use a damp rid bag and hope that will absorb some of the smell. It is strong at first but I know at least these hanging bags smell better than the varnish!! You can get these at Lowes or HomeDepot in the cleaning isle.