If the fridge is made almost entirely of stained wood then it would be tough; you would have to set it outside in a draft and wait for most of it to dissipate and then seal it with a water based polyurethane varnish. The wood stain has been absorbed into the wood pores and sealing it is the only way to reduce/eliminate it short of waiting a few years for it to dissipate.

But, if it is a metal fridge where they coated some wood with the stain, then I would use charcoal and newspaper to absorb most of the smell, and keep ventilating it. You could also use wood chips to absorb the smell. Any of these materials will absorb the hydrocarbon volatiles coming from the stain but it takes time. Make sure you refresh the absorbers a couple of times.

Some other solutions we’ve uncovered:

- Use Lava Rocks to absorb the smell. The downside is that they are hard to find and fairly expensive to ship.

- If it’s an oil based stain, it looks like the odor could last for years. Some forums suggest sanding the stain a bit and using a clear shellac to lock in the smell. Of course you’ll want to make sure that your shellac doesn’t add a new odor to the mix.

PS: The comment above is from an email from my dad — isn’t he smart!!!

A gentleman from an art store suggested rubbing down the wood with 50% vinegar and 50% water.