Discussion Forums - Questions about SwapaDVD

Hi all, I got a DVD yesterday and when I got the package it had a funny smell to it at first, then when I opened it it reeked of cigarette smoke.  I went ahead and posted the credit to the sender, but I also let R&R know about the problem as I wasn't sure how I should address the issue.  How do you guys think we should handle these kind of things in the future?  I almost threw it out because it smelled so bad.

~Keri

I received a smokey one last week. I did the same thing, just posted the credit to the Sender. Then I put the DVD in a drawer with scented candles. It seems to have helped but not entirely. It's a boxset that I want to eventually repost and, if I ever do, I would PM the Requester first to let them know and see if they stil want it. Since there aren't any conditions and since there isn't anything (as of yet) about smoke in the guidelines, I guess that's the best we can do. Hopefully the SwapaDVD team will respond to your message.

Yep, they are usually pretty good about responding to me.  Will let you know (if anything) what they have to say.

~Keri

PS-wonder if ours was from the same sender?

Thanks Keri! I'll PM you.

Since you have to use RCs to avoid the smokey smell at PBS,  I'll be curious to know what they say, too. 

I certainly wouldn't have expected smokey odor to be a problem with DVDs.  It might help if you send R&R an example so they can smell it for themselves.  :-}

I would give it a quick cleaning and credit the sender.  :-)

I got a couple that smelled smoky when I opened up the envie, but it turned out the envie was the culprit more than the plastic dvd case.  

Does anyone know how to get the smoke smell out of the disc box and artwork? 

We've tried, alcohol wipe, Dawn, febreeze type spray, and a few other things and it hasn't worked well enough that i don't sneeze. 

*darn allergies and asthma reactions to strong scents*

frog

"Does anyone know how to get the smoke smell out of the disc box and artwork? "

When my coats/sweatshirts smell like smoke after an evening out at the bar, I drive down the road holding it outside the window.  I have no idea if that would work for DVDs.   :)

LOL I can picture a lot of people getting in cars and holding out DVD cases....books, etc. =)

~Keri

Maybe we should have caution stickers for our cars...warning....Swap a DVD Addict on board.

I would never think that a smell could attach to a dvd.  I can see it hanging on to the paper/artwork, but the dvd itself?  I believe you, I just never would have thought.  I will put up RC if I ever order a movie.  Good to know.

Julie, yep I could smell it even before I opened the package.  Was pretty digusting actually, then when I opened the DVD, it had the smell on the DVD itself.  Speaking of which I need to check it out when I get home and see if it still smells....<gag>  (ps-personally this would embarrass me when I put it in my own mailbox, because you know the postman smells it too) (I don't smoke though)

~Keri

I don't know if it will work with DVD cases but I've found that putting books in a large ziploc with crumpled newspaper for a few days works to take smoky smells out. I received a smoky smelling DVD today so I might have to try it out.

Anything made from plastic absorbs smells fairly easily and there is generally next to nothing you can do to get it out of the plastic. So, the case & the DVD would both be very susceptible.

I recently had my house burn down (well, most of it). Of the stuff that wasn't destroyed, the insurance company told me to throw away everything that was either made with plastic or was contained in plastic containers. That included DVDs, all 5000 CDs we owned (we did hold a few of those back), and everything in bottles around the house. This was due to smell & toxicity. When I asked why they told me that plastic is a very porous material, and it cannot be cleaned.

So, I'd imagine that once a DVD or it's case smells like smoke, it's going to smell like that for awhile to come.

--Andrea

I bought a used DVD at Suncoast last spring and it wasn't until I unwrapped the stores plastic wrap that I found it came from a smoker's home.  Wow!  It's been over six months and the smell is still there.  It's not as strong but it is noticable.  I haven't tried to do anything to de-scent the box.  I figured that probably wouldn't do too much.

And one of my husband's coworkers was told the same thing as Andrea when there was a fire at her apartment complex.  Even the things that looked fine, like her TV, had to be trashed because of smoke damage.

Try farting on them. That should do the trick.

never realized smoke could attach itself to discs like that...will now be keeping my discs out of any room that we smoke in.

Until they allow requestor conditions to prevent getting them, people with allergies are basically stuck accepting them, same with anything else that you don't want but the system permits.

I got a few cds from swap cd like that. It was so gross i tossed the disc and cover work outside to air out a few days, after the third day it still smelled. I gave the disc a bath with mild soap let it sit for a minute then rinsed it off. It still smelled but not as bad. I got a container with lid sprayed febreeze in it then placed the disc in there for a few days. Smells ok now.

Febreeze works wonders!! I bought some DVDs on ebay that reeked of smoke and after a couple light sprays with Febreeze they are as good as new!