If you notice an unusual odor, it is important to figure out the source. Depending on what the odor is, it could indicate a safety hazard or potential problems in your home. If the odor is from a lighter fluid-like substance, you can try some of these home remedies.
What Else Smells Like Lighter Fluid?
The most common lighter fluid-like odor is from paints and cleaners for the home that contain components derived from petroleum. Oily paints, for instance, emit a kerosene-like smell when carbon dioxide molecules enter the air. This type of odor can also be produced by cleaning compounds used for furniture or appliances.
Lighter fluid evaporates very quickly. The kind of lighter fluid that you put in a zippo, for example, is made from a mixture of hydrocarbons and will evaporate very quickly without leaving any residue. There may be some ice crystals formed from the evaporative cooling, but these will also evaporate at room temperature.
Charcoal lighter fluids contain methanol or ethanol and petroleum. This type of flammable solvent can help light charcoal barbeque briquettes, but it can also be used to start campfires and controlled burns. Charcoal lighter fluid will also evaporate at a slower rate than the other types of lighter fluid.
If your new oven is emitting a lighter fluid-like odor, you probably need to untie the zip ties that were integrated into it during shipping. These ties can be burned when the oven is operated, causing an odor that resembles the smell of lighter fluid. This problem is usually more obvious in gas-powered ovens, but it can occur with electric or ceramic ovens as well.
