Why do the Olfa cutting mats smell so bad?
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Seacoast New Hampshire
Posts: 1,181
Why do the Olfa cutting mats smell so bad?
I've recently purchases two at different JoAnn stores at separate times and had to return both due to odor. Had them in my living room and they stunk up the entire downstairs. Both were the 24x36 size. I have the smaller 12x18 and it's fine.
I need a new one because a few years back I purged a few trunkloads of my sewing supplies and they went as well (don't ask, lol)
Have you had this experience? Should I go with Fiskars instead? I don't want to "wait it out" because I tried that and almost got sick in the process. If I buy a mat I want to use a mat.
I need a new one because a few years back I purged a few trunkloads of my sewing supplies and they went as well (don't ask, lol)
Have you had this experience? Should I go with Fiskars instead? I don't want to "wait it out" because I tried that and almost got sick in the process. If I buy a mat I want to use a mat.
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,131
I've recently purchases two at different JoAnn stores at separate times and had to return both due to odor. Had them in my living room and they stunk up the entire downstairs. Both were the 24x36 size. I have the smaller 12x18 and it's fine.
I need a new one because a few years back I purged a few trunkloads of my sewing supplies and they went as well (don't ask, lol)
Have you had this experience? Should I go with Fiskars instead? I don't want to "wait it out" because I tried that and almost got sick in the process. If I buy a mat I want to use a mat.
I need a new one because a few years back I purged a few trunkloads of my sewing supplies and they went as well (don't ask, lol)
Have you had this experience? Should I go with Fiskars instead? I don't want to "wait it out" because I tried that and almost got sick in the process. If I buy a mat I want to use a mat.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Western NY
Posts: 841
I had this same question after buying the same Olga mat. I wrote to the company and they got back to me. Said all their mats smelled and suggested I leave it out to air it out. At present mine has been in the garage for a week. Still smells. Olfa also said to wash it down with Pine Sol or something with a lemon scent. They said I might have to do it several times. I haven't decided what I am going to do. I will wash it down and see what happens.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Upstate SC
Posts: 683
Man, you would think that Olfa would do something about their manufacturing process to eliminate this problem! It seems most everyone has had a cutting mat that smells like skunk or worse!! This problem goes back at least to 2011!! I can't even stand to walk by them in the store.
If it was me, I would return those mats and look for something else. If it smells in the store, it will smell even worse when it gets in a smaller space. I had a couple of small ones that smelled and after two years of them living on my back porch and too many "fixes" to count, I just trashed them. Never ever got that smell to go away.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/search....rchid=13415318
If it was me, I would return those mats and look for something else. If it smells in the store, it will smell even worse when it gets in a smaller space. I had a couple of small ones that smelled and after two years of them living on my back porch and too many "fixes" to count, I just trashed them. Never ever got that smell to go away.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/search....rchid=13415318
#9
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Seacoast New Hampshire
Posts: 1,181
I had this same question after buying the same Olga mat. I wrote to the company and they got back to me. Said all their mats smelled and suggested I leave it out to air it out. At present mine has been in the garage for a week. Still smells. Olfa also said to wash it down with Pine Sol or something with a lemon scent. They said I might have to do it several times. I haven't decided what I am going to do. I will wash it down and see what happens.
I work in manufacturing and I can't help but wonder what that factory smells like.
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