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Currently Playing: This dresser smelled like an ashtray in a cheap hotel - Saveable?

This dresser showed up smelling like an ashtray in a cheap hotel… and I’m not exaggerating. A friend picked this up for me at a thrift store, and unfortunately, they didn’t know the number one rule when sourcing furniture—always do the smell test. By the time it got to me, the odor was already baked in, and it was bad. Really bad. So this became less about a simple makeover and more about a full-on recovery. I started with a deep, thorough cleaning—every surface, every drawer, every hidden corner. From there, it was repairs: filling dents, damage, and imperfections with Bondo and wood filler to rebuild the structure and get everything smooth again. But the real challenge? The smell. There’s no true way to “remove” that kind of odor once it’s absorbed into the piece—you have to seal it in. That meant sealing every single inch of this dresser… more than once. Inside, outside, underneath, behind—nothing was skipped. Once everything was fully sealed and locked in, it finally moved into the spray tent for primer, a rich black finish, and a durable topcoat. New gold hardware brought everything together and completely elevated the look. What started as a smelly nightmare turned into a high-end, statement piece—and you would never know where it came from. If you’ve ever wondered whether a piece like this is worth saving… this is your answer. If you want to learn my full refinishing process, step-by-step, you can find all of my ebooks linked below, including my Beginner’s Guide to Furniture Refinishing, furniture prep guides, and paint sprayer guides. My new hardcover book, Refinish & Profit: How to Make Money Refinishing Furniture, is now available on Amazon. It walks through how to turn furniture refinishing into a profitable, system-driven business—from sourcing (and using the smell test) and workflow to pricing and selling. If you love thrifted furniture, furniture makeovers, DIY painting, and step-by-step refinishing tutorials, make sure to subscribe and follow along. I share real projects, real processes, and what actually works. Products Painted in a muted custom black Cleaner https://amzn.to/3FVMcEM Bondo https://amzn.to/43nrdCl Spot Putty https://amzn.to/44yavSQ Sandpaper https://amzn.to/3MTAlum Sanding Sponge https://amzn.to/49icwSQ Sealer https://amzn.to/47qdmy9 Primer https://amzn.to/3zt3kP0 Topcoat https://amzn.to/3UAckrW WoodGlue https://amzn.to/4cjJo1M Syringes https://amzn.to/4mSvJ45 Bent tip needles https://amzn.to/4lzM78k Microfiber towels https://amzn.to/4rJpTUs Knobs (similar, others are D/C) https://amzn.to/4tMuibi Pulls https://amzn.to/3QI1XUX Equipment Cordless Screwdriver https://amzn.to/4bhW495 Surfprep Detail Sander My favorite detail sander Use the link or code OLIVEST for a discount https://surfprepsanding.com/product/3x4-electric-ray-sanders?aff=181 Surfprep Orbital Sander https://surfprepsanding.com/products/6-electric-ray-gen-2-electric-sanders?_pos=3&_sid=21b489f29&_ss=r&aff=181 Sprayer for paint https://amzn.to/3LFFVzN Spray Tent https://amzn.to/4sCM6nJ Furniture Dollies https://amzn.to/4oDKybh