Full Guide On How To Get Rid Of Musty Smell In The House

You must organize an effective air exchange in the living rooms. It is necessary to create a comfortable microclimatic environment. Unfortunately, air quality does not meet sanitary standards in every house today. If the ventilation is not organized correctly, stagnant air can occur. Excessive moisture, heat, and unpleasant odors accumulate in them. Also, the concentration of pathogenic microorganisms increases significantly. The norm in each cubic meter should not be more than 1500 units of microbes. Staying in such premises is uncomfortable because of:

• health deteriorates;
• working capacity decreases;
• fatigue and lethargy appear.

It is important to check the air quality if young children and teenagers live in the house. Their psychoemotional and mental development is directly related to the microclimatic conditions. Insufficient oxygen is very bad. As the ability to concentrate and make good decisions is reduced.

Today we will tell you how to remove the musty smell in the house. And also, what climate control equipment is the best.

What Causes a Musty Smell in the House?

The main secret to removing mold and unpleasant odors in the room is to cut the cause of the problem. If you simply mask the characteristic damp odor with something, your health will still be at risk. Causes of musty odor in the home include: 

• Flooding. Sometimes the neighbors can accidentally flood your apartment. You can’t avoid increased humidity in the room. With light flooding, you can try to dry the apartment naturally during the year’s warm time. In winter, this process flows much slower. Especially if the house has poor ventilation. After the “enormous” deluge, you can repair the primer walls with compositions. It will only help to get rid of the musty smell in the house. You should use remedies with antibacterial additives. In the future, it is worth thinking about the waterproofing of the ceiling.  
• Living on the first floor. Why does it smell damp in a private house? The reason is damp basements with old pipes that have not been replaced for a long time. Increased moisture through the pipes seeps into:

1. The room’s floor;
2. Walls;
3. Ceiling.

And it causes the problem. This reason of mold  smell  is common in the houses of both private and multi-family homes. 

• Living in an old private home. The question often arises of why a damp smell is in a wooden house. Wood is one of those materials that quickly absorbs moisture and unpleasant odors. They last a very long time, especially when combined with poor ventilation.  
• Plumbing and ventilation problems. One more cause of unpleasant odors in the apartment is poorly insulated pipes. Especially if condensation builds up on them. If the ventilation is not working properly, it contributes to the spread of steam. It goes from the bathroom and kitchen to the living areas. The steam cools down and then settles on the walls. They become saturated with moisture, which leads to the formation of fungus.
• Pets. If there is a cat litter box in the bathroom, it can cause a musty smell in the house. Change the litter promptly and wash your cat’s litter box with bleach. It will help prevent the unpleasant smell from spreading throughout the house.

The risk of the problem is especially high in always humid rooms. For example, the bathroom smells damp more often than in other rooms. Such rooms need special attention. When you understand why there is an unpleasant smell and mold, it’s time to figure out what to do.  

How to Get Rid of the Musty Smell in the House?

Consider the difficult epidemiological situation that forces people to study and work remotely.  It is important to approach the organization of ventilation responsibly. And, if necessary, you need to adjust the microclimatic environment: 

• eliminate mustiness;
• remove excessive humidity.
• increase air exchange.

When eliminating unpleasant damp smells, you need a clear action plan: 

• After the flood. To completely remove the musty smell in the house, it is better to repair it thoroughly. Before starting the work, open all the windows in the apartment for full ventilation. It helps to dry the walls, ceilings, and floors. To prevent mold stains, use a primer with an antibacterial effect. You could do without repair if the flood were not strong. You may just set the house heaters. Special odor and moisture absorbers allow you to save:

1. Bedding;
2. Carpet;
3. Clothes;
4. Other things. 

How to eliminate the smell of dampness in the house if mold has already attacked the soffits and corners? Treat these areas with chlorine.  

• In the bathroom. First, you need to determine where the dampness in this room comes from. If the source of the unpleasant odor is the joints of the tile, you should pay attention to ventilation work. And, if necessary, you have to repair it. Preventing the appearance of the characteristic odor will help the towel dryer. To eliminate the musty smell of mold in the bathroom in the house, you have to clean the surfaces regularly. You can do it with a steam cleaner or a chlorine product. 
• Closet. Have you found that the source of the musty smell in the house is a closet with clothes that have become damp? Take all the items out of the furniture, shuffle them, and air dry them for 48-72 hours. If there are traces of mold on the clothes, they should be pre-washed and then ironed. To get rid of the musty smell in the house, wipe the inside of the closet with a vinegar solution. Leave the doors open until completely dry.  
• Upholstered furniture. If your favorite armchair or sofa has a characteristic damp smell, you must take them out into the fresh air. It can take 48 hours. Under sunlight, they will warm up properly. You can also dry upholstered furniture with a household heater. You can completely remove the source of the unwanted odor by replacing the upholstery. Another way is to pour green tea or coffee on the furniture and leave it overnight.

How to Get Rid of Mold Smell With Home Remedies?

Let’s discuss how to remove the smell of dampness in the house using folk remedies. Most of the ingredients for their preparation are available in any home. We have prepared a selection of compositions that allow you to remove the mold smell in the house.  You can effectively do it in environmentally friendly and harmless ways:  

• Solution of soda ash. You have to:

1. Take 3 spoons of soda and 3 spoons of ash;
2. Then mix it with half a liter of clean water and ten drops of essential oils. You can choose a pleasant aroma for you. 
3. You use it for treating tiles and putty surfaces.  

• Vinegar solution. To cook this remedy, you need to:

1. Mix the main ingredient with water in a ratio of 1 to 3;
2. Add it to a sprayer. 

• Vinegar helps prevent the spread of mold on clothes. You can also use it instead of a bathroom freshener. It will work by combining with essential oil beforehand.  
• Universal remedy with vinegar and baking soda. If the house smells musty but no mold, you should:

1. Take 100 ml of vinegar;
2. Half a liter of hot water. It is up to 80 degrees;
3. 1 tbsp. of any liquid soap;
4. 1 tbsp. of baking soda. 

• Then you need to mix ingredients and add them to the sprayer. You will moisten a sponge in the resulting composition. Also, you should treat spots on any surfaces. Then you wash off the remains of the mixture with water.  
• Starch. It allows you to remove the smell of mold from clothes made of knitwear. So you need to:

1. Scatter starch on the fabric;
2. After 7-10 minutes you will shake out things.

 You can do the same with coffee grounds if you need to treat dark clothes.  

• Copper sulfate. You use the tool if there is the smell of mold in the house  and damp walls. You need to:

1. Take 30 g of copper sulfate;
2. Combine it with a liter of warm water and a spoonful of vinegar;
3. Apply the composition to the pre-cleaned with sandpaper;
4. Wash, and thoroughly dry the wall.

If necessary, you can repeat the procedure. 

• Furacilin. It is another way to thoroughly combat the mustiness smell in the apartment: 1. You need to mix ten antiseptic tablets with a glass of water.

1. Then, you have to treat the affected wall with the composition. Try to scrub the fungus with sandpaper preliminarily.

How to Get Rid of the Musty Smell in the House with Odor Removers?

You can fight unpleasant odors in your apartment with a variety of techniques. We recommend that you pay attention to:

• steam cleaner;
• оzonator;
• an air ionizer. 

You can read more about each of them below. 

1. Steam cleaners are used for treating hard surfaces and upholstered furniture. The steam produced eliminates both odors and bacteria. 
2. The ozonator is equipped with an electric generator. It produces varying degrees of saturation ozone. The ozone destroys dust, germs, and viruses when released into the air. We recommend turning on the device for 2-3 hours in a room without people or animals. 
3. The ionizer produces negatively charged ions. The equipment does not disinfect the room. But it is suitable for cleaning rooms from dust and musty smell in the house.

Bottom Line

To summarize, it is worth noting that store-bought aerosols and home air fresheners are powerless if the source of the musty smell in the house is not eliminated. The top ways to combat the stench include airing, thorough cleaning, and a vinegar solution used to treat interior furnishings. After reading this article, we hope you found out how to get rid of a mold smell.

FAQ