Stones that Smell

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on March 1, 2010 at 8:33am

I know when just starting out to use a new set they smell terrible and have to be burned for many hours in the heater to get rid of the smell. I would suggest putting them in the heater and letting them burn for several hours 6-8 hours and then clean them again and see what happens. It may even take 12-16 hours of burning to get rid of the smell. Check the water level at times as the water will evaporate.

Permalink Reply by Jan Walker on March 1, 2010 at 1:10pm

Ewwwww! I would clean them thoroughly by placing a small number at a time in the sink filled with very hot water, a squirt of dishwashing soap, four tablespoons of vinegar and one tablespoon of bleach. Allow them to sit for a few minutes then swish them around. Take each stone one at a time and wash it by hand or use a soft brush. Rinse the stones well in hot water and dry them well with a towel. ( I like to place my stones out in the sun at least every week to absorb the solar energy.) Be sure to wash your roaster/tools in the same way. I prefer to wash my stones between clients. If you cannot do this I suggest using a good spa oxidizer such as Clean 'n Clear. It is used in swimming pools and hot tubs. It is a fast dissolving and fast acting chlorine free shock sold at Leslie's Pool Supplies. I add one pinch or a slight teaspoon to my 18 qt. roaster. Follow all cautions on the package. If you prefer not to use a chemical cleaner using several drops of tea tree oil, lemon or clove essential oil may help but not completely disinfect your stones. Cleaning your stones with witch hazel or a grain alcohol might be helpful too. Always do a thorough cleaning of EVERYTHING...all stones, tools, roaster at the end of everyday!!!!! One other thought...do you know what kind of stones you have? A softer, more porous stone might absorb bad smells more readily. Good luck and I hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Jan Walker on March 1, 2010 at 1:35pm

PLEASE see Jenny Ray's post on CDC guidelines. I just read the post and was not aware of these most up to date sanitation guidelines. Thank you Jenny! Essential oils and shock treatments simply are not thorough enough to prevent the spread of bacteria!

Permalink Reply by Teri Baginski on March 1, 2010 at 5:35pm

If they smell rancid, I recommend either covering the stones in baking soda and letting them set for a while or at least adding a lot of it (baking soda) to your soaking/cleaning water. I've found that baking soda works great for getting rid of oily odor from massage table sheets and clothing/scrubs. I first started using baking soda with my teenage son's sheets to get rid of his oily residue--worked great!

Permalink Reply by Pat Ward on March 4, 2010 at 1:57am

I would try white vinegar, soak them for a while in the vinegar and then rinse thoroughly in hot water and then scrub them again with a soapy solution. It is a good idea to put the stones outside in the sun occasionally to recharge them.

Permalink Reply by Jenny Ray on March 11, 2010 at 8:04pm

Rancid stones is an impossibility...stones don't spoil and have no known bacteria to create odor soooo...it is rancid oil from improper cleaning and using the wrong oil...(if the stones arrive from supplier with odd smell it is grinding/polishing grout and can be removed by tossing them in the dishwasher..best to put them in a wire mesh basket or strainer with very small ones in the silverware tray....)
The only Geothermal Therapy Association approved oil for stones is actually a plant extract...Jojoba you can find it on Google...reason?...anytime you add warm temperatures you dilate pores and the product will be delivered much quicker into the entire circulatory system. If you know your contraindications well and have done a complete intake, you may use other products to serve special needs for the client...planning of course to properly sanitize the stones after use...if you are not sure about all the properties in your oil or lotion DO NOT USE IT WITH WARM TEMPS...it will enhance all active ingredients and you must know what the physiological action will be ...aside from that Jojoba oil (plant extract) is not an oil, will not go rancid, never spoils, does not smell up the linens, does not stain fabric, washes off stones and all equipment instantly and is the closest thing to the skins natural oils....
Some oils and lotions will actually bake onto the stones like varnish....once this happens you must soak them in a paint remover or solvent (acetone) to soften the varnish enough to remove it from the surface...this should be done out doors ...soak them for 24-48 hours...remove stones and scrub with a brush in hot soapy water, rinse in clear water and dry to be sure all sticky film is removed and smell is gone...then they should rest on the ground over night to recharge their batteries...(think I'm kidding?...think magnetic field, balance of alkaline/acid surface and electromagnetic energy....if the stones have been through all this, they will be neutral and will not hold heat.....this is a horrible thing to have to do and it makes you gag to be around that much chemical. But this is the only way we got some clean that were being used in a spa in DC in 2004 before folks learned not to use olive oil!!
Good luck...

Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on March 11, 2010 at 8:37pm

Thank you Jenny for sharing this most interesting information.

Jenny Ray said:

Rancid stones is an impossibility...stones don't spoil and have no known bacteria to create odor soooo...it is rancid oil from improper cleaning and using the wrong oil...(if the stones arrive from supplier with odd smell it is grinding/polishing grout and can be removed by tossing them in the dishwasher..best to put them in a wire mesh basket or strainer with very small ones in the silverware tray....)
The only Geothermal Therapy Association approved oil for stones is actually a plant extract...Jojoba you can find it on Google...reason?...anytime you add warm temperatures you dilate pores and the product will be delivered much quicker into the entire circulatory system. If you know your contraindications well and have done a complete intake, you may use other products to serve special needs for the client...planning of course to properly sanitize the stones after use...if you are not sure about all the properties in your oil or lotion DO NOT USE IT WITH WARM TEMPS...it will enhance all active ingredients and you must know what the physiological action will be ...aside from that Jojoba oil (plant extract) is not an oil, will not go rancid, never spoils, does not smell up the linens, does not stain fabric, washes off stones and all equipment instantly and is the closest thing to the skins natural oils....
Some oils and lotions will actually bake onto the stones like varnish....once this happens you must soak them in a paint remover or solvent (acetone) to soften the varnish enough to remove it from the surface...this should be done out doors ...soak them for 24-48 hours...remove stones and scrub with a brush in hot soapy water, rinse in clear water and dry to be sure all sticky film is removed and smell is gone...then they should rest on the ground over night to recharge their batteries...(think I'm kidding?...think magnetic field, balance of alkaline/acid surface and electromagnetic energy....if the stones have been through all this, they will be neutral and will not hold heat.....this is a horrible thing to have to do and it makes you gag to be around that much chemical. But this is the only way we got some clean that were being used in a spa in DC in 2004 before folks learned not to use olive oil!!
Good luck...