How To Get Rid Of Mold Mildew Smell In House

How To Remove That Mildew Smell In 5 Steps

Housecleaning Lessons : Removing Mildew Odor

Step 1: Find the source of the mildew.
Step 2: Protect yourself with respiratory protection and gloves, and mix one cup of bleach with one gallon of warm water.

Step 3: Dip a toothbrush into the bleach mixture and scrub vigorously.
Step 4: Repeat until the mildew is gone.
Step 5: Dry the area fully with a rag or towel.

Here are more details on each step of the process.

S To Getting Rid Of Mold

The spores of mold require a substrate, warmth, darkness, oxygen, and moisture to grow. Moisture is the real catalyst however and can stem from a leaking tap or simply a high level of humidity.

Some may find that their house smells musty in summer as humidity levels rise. The trick is to reverse these ideal conditions to combat the growth of mold in your home.

How To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell In House

Q: Is mildew ever going to go gone by itself?

If you smell mildew in your house, youll want to track out the source as soon as possible since its one of the first signs that Mold is developing. Thankfully, getting rid of mildew smell is simpler than you would think, and the things required to get rid of mildew or musty odors are most likely already in your house. The sooner you address Mold, the sooner you can safeguard your home from health risks and significant damage.

Mildew grows in damp environments, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. Depending on the kind of surface youre cleaning, an elemental toothbrush, sponge, and a few cleaning products may get rid of mildew and musty smells. Heres how to get rid of Mold and keep it gone for good.

Also Check: How To Remove Mildew From Ceilings In Bathrooms

How To Get Rid Of Musty Smell In Basement

Your basement is another breeding ground for musty smells, especially if it is unfinished. Why? Because basements are typically damp. However, before you can remove the smell permanently, you need to find the source or sources and clean it. Vinegar or peroxide are great options for removing mold and mildew. You’ll also want to:

Remove soggy boxes or wet clothing.
Pack things, like Christmas decorations, in airtight plastic containers.

Clean or throw away furniture with mildew.
Install a dehumidifier.

Once you’ve tackled all that, it’s time to remove the odor.

Fill bowls with baking soda.

Set them around the room to absorb odors in the air.

How To Get Rid Of Musty House Smells

How to get rid of that musty smell in the basement

Eliminating an unpleasant musty odor in your home can be difficult, even with deep cleaning. To get to the root of the problem, you often need to make some home upgrades.

When you or your contractor remove the carpet, be sure to inspect the subfloor. If the subfloor is stained, replace it or seal it with an oil-based paint.

Seal exposed dirt floor with concrete: If you have an unpaved area in the crawlspace, it could make the house smell musty after rain, or earthy during hot, humid weather. Hire a contractor to pour concrete over the dirt floor and seal the area for good.

Also Check: Get Rid Of Black Mold In Basement

Use Lemons As A Natural Air Freshener

For an easy and natural air freshener, boil lemon peels in a pan of water. Once the lemony fragrance is released, remove the pan from the kitchen and set it down in the area of your home which you want to air out, being careful to place the pan on a suitable surface. A fan can circulate the fragrance around the room, and you can also fill a spray bottle with the warm lemony water and spritz it around the room. Alternatively, use a commercial air freshener of your choice.

Easy Steps On How To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell In Old House

If you want to learn how to get rid of mildew smell in old house, you have to be ready to investigate where the musty smell is coming from, deep clean the space, and let the fresh air in. Arm yourself with a strong stomach, a face mask, and a whole lot of patience and determination because things are going to get dirty.

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How To Get Rid Of The Damp Smell

Throw away items badly affected by the damp/mould

Sadly, some of your belongings may be beyond repair:

As noted before, upholstered furniture and fabrics can be riddled with mould.
Moist and mouldy clothes can possibly be saved, but if they come out of the washing machine and still dont smell right, you may have to bin them.
Books, photos, magazines and the like are, unfortunately, difficult to save from significant mould infestation.

If mould has irreversibly damaged these items, we recommend you throw them away, eliminate the source of the mould, dry out your home and then you can relax knowing youve got it all under control.

Mold Is Only The Symptom

Housekeeping Tips : How to Remove Musty Mildew Smells

The only effective way to control biological air contaminants like molds, fungi, bacteria, and dust mites is by tackling the cause. Eliminate the sources of moisture and reduce humidity in your home! Repair any water leaks in the roof, walls or basement. Prevent condensation on walls and windows by maintaining a low relative humidity in your home, ideally 30â50 percent . Humidity levels are measured by hygrometers available in hardware stores.

Cooking and bathing may add 3 gallons of water each day to the indoor air – install exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms.

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Get Some Natural Air Freshener

A great, refreshing hack you can use to get rid of the mildew smell is to make a pot of boiling water with lemon peels. Once you start smelling the lovely citrus scent, turn the fire off and carefully settle the pot to the area where the musty smell is the strongest.

Leave the pot open and just let the scent cover every area of the room. You can also have an electric fan near the pot to get better air circulation.

Other natural air fresheners you can use include distilled white vinegar. Have a spray bottle at hand and fill it up with either the lemon boiled water or the vinegar and get spraying.

Steam Upholstery And Carpeting

1Your furniture and carpet may be to blame for the musty smell. Rent a steam cleaner to clean your upholstered furniture like couches and chairs. Hire a professional if you’re not comfortable cleaning the furniture yourself.XResearch source

Carpet can also keep your house smelling musty. Steam clean your carpets or hire a professional carpet cleaner if your carpet is in need of some cleaning.

Also Check: How To Get Mold Out Of Blankets

Air Should Be Circulated

Air movement is a great way to get rid of dampness. Ventilation enables dry air to enter, absorb excess moisture, and then be transported away when the air outside is dryer than the air within. Electric fans installed in a window, fixed in a wall, or vented to the attic may help move air from the home when natural breezes arent enough.

During prolonged rainy weather, poorly ventilated closets become damp and musty, and items kept in them are prone to mildew. By opening closet doors or installing a fan, you may help to increase air circulation.

Hang the garments freely to let air flow around them as well. Before placing wet clothing in the closet, make sure it is scorched .

Unless the home is well-circulated, cooking, laundry, and bathing may add up to 2 gallons of water each day. It is often essential to utilize an exhaust fan.

Effective Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Mold And Mildew In House

With the rains come a whole new set of problems that can affect the overall appearance of your home yes, the slimy sticky and ugly mold and mildew, every homemakers nightmare! From brown to dirty green, mold and mildew come in almost every shade of color and are usually found in the corners or moist areas. A result of excess fungal or bacterial growth, mildew is commonly found in humid and moist corners of the house. Getting rid of mold is no easy feat, dont worry though, mentioned below are some simple and effective home remedies for getting rid of mold and mildew in the house-

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Best Ways To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell

The smell of mildew is one of those smells that we want to avoid in our homes at all costs. According to Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning, a home with a musty, mildew smell may be suffering from a few culprits. Some of these issues that can bring on foul odors like mold and mildew include broken pipes, a dirty HVAC system, cigarette smoke that has seeped into your home’s walls, wet spills that haven’t been cleaned up , and a home that hasn’t had its windows open in years. All of these things attribute to that mildew smell that can be found anywhere in the house, and not only your lower levels.

So what can you do to get rid of that familiar musty smell? Read on to see what will work best in your house! We found eight best ways to get rid of a mildew smell.

Home Remedies For Musty Smells In Homes

When it comes to the removal of the musty smells harbored within your home, you may try everything you can think of with no alleviation of this odor in the air. Whats next? Depending on the strength of the musty odors in your home, you may have to turn to other solutions and home remedies to rid the smells from the air space for good. These home remedies can include the intake of fresh air within the environment, increased air flow, and the help of an air purifier for musty smell removal.

Read Also: Remove Black Mold From Ceiling

How To Get Musty Smells Out Of Clothes

Your house smells oh so fresh and clean, but your shirts have you wrinkling your nose. Whatâs going on?

Clean your washing machine. Like your dishwasher, your washing machine needs to be cleaned. This should be done once a month to help prevent mildew growth or bacteria. Wipe the washer drum with a household cleaner, toss in a couple of tablespoons of baking soda , and run on a hot wash cycle .

Remove the existing mustiness from your clothes. A good wash in a clean machine might very well do the trick. If not, try adding one of the following to your laundry detergent:

A pinch of apple cider vinegar

One cup of white vinegar
One cup of baking soda

If youâre able to air dry your clothes outside, that should also leave them smelling fantastic.

Keep your clothes free of mustiness moving forward by drying your clothes thoroughly. We know, the dry cycle takes waaaayyyy too long, but it beats that musty smell following you around all day.

Along the same lines, donât leave your clothes in the washing machine long after a wash cycle has completed. You know what weâre talking about.

Prevention Is The Key

Carpet Cleaning : How to Remove Mildew & a Musty Smell From Carpet

Just as you can prevent your shag rugs from getting dirty depending on where you place them in your home, and you can prevent kitchen countertops from tarnishing by using beeswax, you can also take some steps to stop mildew from starting at all with a few vital tips.

Homeowners or renters should pay close attention to any foul, musty smells due to mildew before it becomes a significant issue by watching their home’s humidity levels. Per the Mayo Clinic, ideal levels of humidity should be between 30% and 50%. Moving.com, part of the Realtor.com network, suggests turning exhaust fans on while taking a shower and keeping areas dry . They also say to make sure you have some air coming into your home by opening the windows to prevent any mildew smells from forming.

Also Check: Mildew Bathroom Ceiling

Some Precautionary Measures To Prevent Mold Growth

Mold and mildew is found both indoors and outdoors, from the doors, walls, ceiling, cupboards, to the backyard and garden shedit is everywhere! You can adopt these preventive measures to reduce mold growth:

Open the doors and windows, let the sunlight stream in
Cover your nose and mouth properly before you begin the cleaning spree.
Fix the leaking roofs, windows and pipes to prevent mold on walls

Fix the ventilation issues, add exhaust fans and ventilators in bathroom and kitchen
Clean the corners thoroughly, especially after floods
Take steps to control the humidity levels, keep the house warm and dry,

Watch Out For Warning Signs That Specific Materials Are Damp:

Plasterboard and drywallIf theres a high level of humidity in your home and you see any plasterboard or drywall bloating this is the ideal host for mould.

WoodIf theres constant moisture in your home that isnt drying out, natural materials like solid wood and MDF furniture will start to dampen and deform. Mould loves damp and decaying natural materials.

Upholstered furniture and fabricsUpholstered furniture and fabrics absorb dampness in the home and can become a central source for the smell to emanate. Watch out for signs of moisture on your carpets, curtains, cushions and sheets because the damage can often be irreversible. If its an item with sentimental value, you may get away with having it professionally cleaned, but whatever you do, dont leave it in its current state.

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Deal With Moisture Issues Asap

You can do a deep clean every day of the week, and it still wouldnt be enough to get rid of the musty smell if your home has a moisture problem. Why? Because moisture is one of the main ingredients of mold and mildew. As soon as you spot any leaks or anything else causing excess moisture, call a professional reparation service like All Dry USA to resolve it quickly.

Where To Check For Mold And Mildew

10 Cheap Ways to Get Rid of That Awful Mildew Smell ...

If youre looking for any mold and mildew in your home and cant seem to track down the exact source of those musty odors, here are a few spots you can check.

Look for any water leaks. You make have water leaks or small puddles under the sinks in your bathrooms or kitchen that have allowed mold to grow.
Likewise, check your shower! A shower or tub with cracks in the tub caulking could be causing the problem.
Check and clean your garbage disposal and dishwasher filter.

Laundry rooms can also be a culprit of that dreaded mildew smell. Make sure no mold is growing in your washing machine! This is especially likely if your washing machine has trouble drying out after a cycle.
Look in your closets or basement. Check for any areas that are dark, warm, and humid.
Check your air filters they may need to be replaced to get fresh air flowing again!

Once you find the affected area, there are a few ways to get rid of that mildew problem. Ill get to those in a second, but first, I want to go over some safety precautions.

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If Vinegar Doesnt Work Use Baking Soda

However, apple cider vinegar doesnt always do the trick. If this is the case, wash your items again with one cup of baking soda in the place of apple cider vinegar.

No one wants their clothes or towels smelling like mold and mildew. To make sure that your items keep that just-washed smell, try:

Switching your items into the dryer as soon as possible. The more time they spend in the washer, the more likely they are to retain a mildew odor.
Hanging clothes or towels in an area where they can dry. Oftentimes, wet towels are left to hang in the bathroom, without being able to fully dry. This moisture can build up, and cause long-lasting odors.

Washing towels, rugs and other items regularly. Its easy to reuse these items without thinking about the need to wash them. Remember to regularly wash these items to help reduce the risk of future mold and mildew odors.

How To Remove Mildew Smell From Towels

As you might expect, the first thing youll need to do is find out where that yucky smell is coming from. If youre lucky, you might find its simply coming from your towels. If thats the case, soak them in all-fabric bleach for about 30 minutes, rinse them off and then run through the washing machine. But, if you spot the dreary discolored mildew spot in your tub, prepare to get your hands dirty.

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Is Musty Smell Dangerous

A musty smellcan be dangerous in as much as that it can be an indicator of mold growth in your home. Mold spores only need a surface to land on, excess moisture, air, and often warmth to thrive and cause mold growth. Mold can be toxic and hazardous to humans and pets. It is particularly dangerous to those with weakened immune systems, respiratory problems or asthma.

Some reported symptoms of mold exposure are itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing, headaches, asthma-like symptoms, or throat irritation. You should also avoid touching mold or mildew and should wear proper protection including glasses, a mask, and gloves when working around mold or mildew. More research on this area is needed but it is always best to be safe and remove mold and mildew from your home as fully and as quickly as possible.