Ah, I see! And yep, it definitely fades over time. (My mother had one; I remember the smell being strong when I first smelled it, but in later years it didn't have much scent.) I have heard of people using sandpaper on cedar closets to renew the scent, so maybe the same goes for the chests? Might be good for a couple of "renewals" before having to buy the oil, anyway. It does sound like it would be difficult to oil a large container without the oil getting on the cloth; soaking chips or blocks would probably be easier, since you can take them out to oil them and only put them back in when they've absorbed it all, compared to a chest or closet where you'd have to take all the linens out.

Either way, I'm glad the sauna method also exists. :D It sounds much less messy, and the drying can't take any longer than oiled wood would take to dry.