Stinking mousepad

My first reaction on opening the product (just on opening it, before I'd seen it) was that it stunk. A chemical, stale, pungent odor. At first, I thought maybe it had picked up some musty smell while going overseas through the Chinese post. But even after airing out, the smell lingered, and I realized that the smell came from the mousepad itself and not the packaging. I did some research, and I've concluded that the smell is caused by cheap plastics and synthetic materials used in the mousepad itself. To be fair, in all other respects the mousepad seems well made. There are no flaws in the design, the color is clear and vibrant, the mousepad is comfortable to use and has no apparent manufacturing defect. But the smell filled up my entire room for the first few days I had it until I rubbed the bottom of it with essential oils in the hope they would cling to the toxins from the plastic (I'm afraid to use it on the fabric of the cover, lest the color should be ruined). It helped to an extent, but I still smell the toxins of the plastic whenever the mousepad is in use. In all honesty, I would really rather pay an extra $10 more to have a product that has better quality synthetics so that it will have a neutral smell.Read full review

Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New