Does Bamboo Flooring Smell? Check Here!

Yes, bamboo flooring smells, although it is nothing to fret or worry about. Upon the removal of the flooring planks from their supply boxes, they commonly give off a peculiar odor generally referred to as ‘ light-off gassing’ due to their polyurethane finish.

This polyurethane finish is common for most pre-finished floors. Luckily, the smell will go away in not more than a couple of days after the removal of the parts from the supply carton.

In addition, bamboo cutting boards, just like the flooring planks, are also known to exude a kind of fragrance, especially when they are brand new as well.

Again, there is nothing to bother about because of this smell. It is usually coming from bamboo which has been subjected to immense heat and steam treatment to confer on its maximum physical properties and also to obtain the rich caramel color too.

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The aroma cannot be regarded as objectionable, especially since it will go away or dissipate in no time at all.

Bamboo flooring is also known to emit trace amounts of the chemical formaldehyde due to its production.

Fortunately, this chemical is hardly toxic unless it is in very large quantities or volumes. However, regardless of the trace amounts, all bamboo products must be compliant with the traditional low emission standards for health and safety.

Notably, also, most high-quality and costly bamboo flooring is manufactured under very strict worldwide indoor gassing standards (CARB Phase Il). This standard index stipulates that formaldehyde emission indoors must not exceed about 0.05 ppm( parts per million).

Bamboo is said to be a soft, clean floral, which is rather wispy with the slightest touch of creamy powder. So, yes, bamboo flooring smells, but luckily, the smell is not harmful and will also go away completely in just a couple of days.

What causes bamboo floors to smell?

Traditionally, bamboo flooring smells because of the ‘light off-gassing’ generated from the polyurethane finish that is common for all pre-finished floors. Fortunately, this smell is not injurious and is assured to dissipate on its own in not more than a couple of days too.

Usually, the majority of the pre-finished floor planks come off the production line and are immediately packaged, in the process of which vapors in the plastic wrapping are trapped, which cause the smell.

Does the bamboo smell go away?

The smell bamboo flooring emanate is due to the production of chemicals generated during ‘light off-gassing’  from the polyurethane finish. This smell is neither injurious nor permanent since it usually thaws out in just a couple of days after opening the package.

This means that the smell goes away on its own without needing any contribution from you. So, yes, the smell of bamboo flooring readily goes away without any help almost immediately.

Bamboo cutting boards have a peculiar smell when they are new. Consolably, this smell is coming from the bamboo, which must have been heated and steam-treated to confer on it optimal physical qualities as well as to obtain the rich caramel color exclusive to bamboo flooring.

This aroma might not be objectionable, so to say, and again, it will certainly go away in just a few days, or at most in about one week. Hence, there’s no cause for alarm here whatsoever, particularly since the smell is only temporary.

How do I prevent bamboo floors from smelling?

There are several ways through which you can prevent your bamboo floors from smelling. One, you should endure that you change the water frequently and also thoroughly wash the lucky bamboo roots in fresh running and clean water too while rubbing away any soft, rotten materials or debris from its body.

This has the attendant effect of reducing the smell so exuded. In the alternative, you can also plant lucky bamboo in potting soil in a container, which should be watered regularly just so that the soil in the container is constantly moist. This will prevent your bamboo from smelling.

Since the smell of lucky bamboo is usually stale and from stagnant water, the best way to get rid of it is by draining the water and replacing it with fresh water in the container of the plant. You should also make sure that all dried-up stalks are discarded as well.

What does bamboo smell like?

Bamboo is very capable of releasing a sort of faint fragrance like generic green leaves or something bit wood-like.

Other people even posit that fresh bamboo floorboards supplied in their packaging smell quite like a few common items including vanilla, bergamot, orange blossom, like, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, and even amber.

It is the smell of light off-gassing from the polyurethane finish, which is associated with pre-finished floors, that goes away in just a few days.

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The smell is not quite objectionable or injurious to human health, at least as long as it is not too much. However, if you experience certain symptoms from it like headache, nausea, dizziness, and irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat, you should consult a doctor.

But, before it comes to that, whenever you are working with newly supplied bamboo floors, ensure that you work in open well ventilated places.

In addition, if you are working with the poles in a room or any confined space, make sure also that all the windows are opened to lessen the stench as well. 

Furthermore, while you work with these smelly poles, you should take a break intermittently to get some dose of fresh air.

If you were to use bamboo in a diffuser, inhaling its essential oil assists the body to relax tremendously. Moreover, both the smell of bamboo and the rich nutrients, as well as antioxidants present in the essential oils of the plant, are indicted in fighting aging.

To add, there is also the claim that bamboo oils also improve both fine lines and wrinkles on the skin.

What can I use on bamboo floors to prevent smell?

It is natural for newly supplied bamboo floorboards in their package to smell off. It is not a matter of putting or applying something on these boards to get them to stop smelling. What you need to counter this non-objectionable smell is time.

With time, the smell will effectively dissipate on its own. However, if you wish to catalyze the process of the smell going away, you should open up all the windows so that the air in the room will move freely and reduce the smell.

Alternatively, you can use a fan at full blast to push any offending air out of the room. Also, you can take short breaks as you work to allow you to take a breath of fresh air every so often as you work.

In other words, it is not a question of rubbing something to stop the smell, but of taking countermeasures to catalyze the smell leaving the workroom by allowing air to cross ventilate or circulate more freely.

FAQS

(1). Is bamboo a fragrant?

Yes, bamboo is a fragrance. The plant exudes a lovely fragrance, which is described as sweet to some degree. Although, some species of the plant may not necessarily have many scents.

However, some of the species are known to release a faint fragrance if you should rub the culms (or canes), but commonly,  it just smells like a generic green leaf or even a bit wood-like. So, yes, bamboo is a lovely fragrance.

(2). Do you rinse bamboo shoots?

Yes, you should rinse bamboo shoots just to reduce their smell. Rinsing bamboo shoots entails using fresh water before using it.

Therefore, canned bamboo shoots should first be peeled, sliced, and then cooked to enable you to add them straight to stir-fries and any oriental dishes, which come at the end of the cooking time just to heat through.

If you want to prepare fresh bamboo shoots, you should first trim their fibrous outer layers of any excess leaves, while at the same time reserving the tender leaves, especially since they are edible.

Thereafter, you should cook the shoots without covering them in boiling, salted water for only about 20 minutes.

Afterward, proceed to slice the shoots before adding them to the dish of your choosing. These procedures are comparable to rinsing bamboo shoots since they are also capable of getting rid of any unwanted substances and smells expected from a perfect plant.

Conclusion – Does Bamboo Flooring Smell?

Naturally, bamboo floorboards give off a peculiar smell acquired from the production line. This is what you perceive immediately upon opening the supply package. Although the smell is not injurious, you should seek prompt medical attention should there be any persistent symptoms.

Furthermore, it is known that any such smell will dissipate in a matter of a few days. However, if you wish to speed up the process, you might want to open up all the windows, use a fan at full blast, or work in opened and ventilated environments.

Even without taking any countermeasures against the smell of freshly supplied bamboo boards in a package, the smell exuded will dissipate on its own in just a couple of days leaving you with an exquisite floor to behold by anybody.