Who knows which "cure" has helped the most, but after the vanilla soak I left it outside for another 24 hours & it's now in my sewing room, and although there is still a faint smell , it's not over powering. Thanks for all the suggestions. It wasn't just a regular plastic smell, it stunk kind of like that skunk smell, you can't get away from it fast enough. To be honest, it's not a great bobbin holder, the soft circle one I have holds the bobbins perfectly so if you knock it off the desk, they all stay in. This oval one they just sit in it but when you go to take a bobbin out the next bobbin lays on it's side...too bad...