refinishing old veneer table top and getting smell out

[reck123]

so my girlfriend bought a mid century table. aesthetically its very nice. I'm assuming it either has a walnut or cherry veneer. now the main problem is that it smells pretty offensive (something we didn't notice upon purchase) think intense stale ciggerate smoke and cooking fats.

to remedy this problem and give it a fresh look I bought a varnish stripper to strip the old varnish and sand back to fresh veneer Iwill then at some point apply a stain and refinish with pu varnish.

currently the table is outside since two days and the smell still remains and infact is even more potent before.

this morning I applied some vinegar and baking soda in the hope that this remedy the problem slightly.
we tried the vinegar with the varnish on before with no luck.

have any on you got any tips or had much success getting offensive smells out of old furniture.
or is this one. a lost cause.

 

[That would work]

Depending on its condition, I would be very wary of stripping it simply to remove an odour.

 

[reck123]

yes been quite careful stripping of the original coat. but the odour is to strong too ignore so warranted stripping the top

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

If you have stripped the top and left the table outside for two days and the smell still persists I would refinished the top which should cure the problem. It is probably worth treating the underside too, try your baking soda again then seal with a couple of coats.