Cedar aroma

Want the aroma of your cedar chest back?

The linings of cedar chests and drawers often lose their aroma with time and use.

The aromatic properties of cedar serve as a natural pest deterrent, keeping moths and other insects away from your clothing.
Over time the pores in the cedar can become clogged with dust and dirt or pinched closed from use.
This prevents the aromatic oils from escaping and causes old cedar chests to loose their aroma.

There are many products on the market to "rejuvenate" the aroma in old cedar furniture such as cedar oil extracts and sprays.

A less expensive solution is to lightly sand the surface of the cedar with a fine grit sandpaper (200 grit) and a sanding block. The sandpaper will help "cut" the pores open thus exposing new oil pockets.
Try to sand with the grain to avoid scratch marks and don't over-sand. Usually only a light sanding is needed to rejuvenate the wood.

If the cedar has been finished with a sealant such a varnish or polyurethane you will need to sand through the finish to expose the oils.

Finishes that have deeply penetrated the wood may have permanently sealed the oils into the wood.