it smells like chemicals-insecticide or petroleum, May 28, 2011

I bought 5 of these balls. They are wonderful!!! My Grandson, who is two years old, loves them because they blink and they are very soft. Therefore,they bounce really well. Also, our family Dachshund loves them too. Our whole family has a great time with them.I would recommend them for anyone. In fact, I will probably be buying more in the future to give away as gifts.

I just received two of these balls from Amazon and I was overwhelmed with their stench as soon as I opened the box. The smell reminds me of gasoline which may be due to their petroleum based material. I have tried washing them with water, but the stench remains. While they are cute and do have a pleasing light pattern which a child may be captivated by, I cannot fathom that these are safe for children of any age. I just cannot believe that something that reeks of gasoline could be good for my child. I am throwing them in the trash!

I am not sure this is a safe product. It stinks. I don't know why it smells so bad, but I am afraid to allow my child to handle it. I have tried cleaning it (after removing the center light), but the smell seems to be inbedded.