Reasons Why Fireplaces Smell Bad
Before you clean, it is helpful to understand what causes fireplace smell. In most cases, these smells arise from one or more of these common causes:
- Creosote buildup
- Excess moisture
Each of these can bring a different but still stinky smell into your home. Unfortunately, some of these odors are a natural result of using a fireplace.
How To Neutralize Moldy Musty Smells In Wood Furniture
STEP 2: After thoroughly cleaning your wood furniture piece inside and out, I like using a Dixie Belle product that neutralizes the odors. I find it works best when applying it over ALL of the woods surfaces. Not just inside the drawers but inside the furniture as well. You know, the dark inside areas that tend to get moldy?
Use a natural bristle brush to apply the Big Mamas Butta to help reach the hard to get areas inside and out. Work the buttery smooth paste into the wood using a circular motion to make sure it penetrates deep into the wood. I like to let it sit for a few hours after application.
My favorite scent is Flannel. Its a clean, fresh smell that lasts weeks after applying. But if youre sensitive to smells, there is an unscented formula available.
STEP 3: With a soft cotton cloth, wipe away any extra on the surface of the wood. Now, enjoy the aromatherapy! No more moldy, musty smell in dresser drawers or anywhere else.
Preventing Mildew From Forming
Mildew prevention is important both after treating the mildew smell and prior to ever experiencing the problem in the first place. A few tips on doing it:
- Pay attention to humidity levels in your home. Mildew and mold both thrive on humidity. If you have a household dehumidifier then be sure to use itand to adjust it as needed depending on the season.
- Keep the fan on when showering. That bathroom fan isnt just there for looks. Use it every single time that you bathe or shower to suck moisture out of the air instead of allowing it to end up on your walls, ceilings, and floors.
- Dry off wet areas. Sitting water is a no-go when youre trying to prevent mildew. Make sure to thoroughly dry your bathtubs, showers, faucets, etc. after use, as well as anywhere else that water happens to end up.
- Open the windows. Fresh air is one of the best ways to prevent mildew. Weather permitting, keep your windows open and the fresh air flowing, especially in rooms where mildew tends to flourish.
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Get Rid Of Musty Smell In House For Good
Even after following all of these steps, your home may still smell a little dank. If this is the case, then try using some activated charcoal or baking soda in various areas of the home. These are well-known for their ability to neutralize unpleasant smells and will go a long way to helping you get rid of musty smell in house.
If you suspect that your crawl space may be the root of the sudden musty smell in the house, then we invite you to call in our team. We specialize in moisture remediation, humidity control, and water damage in your area, so give us a call and let us assess your situation.
How To Keep Smells Out Of Apartments
First, you have to find the source. Some of the most common sources of unpleasant apartment smells include:
- Garbage Whether its yours or a neighbors, trash receptacles are the usual and most obvious cause of odor. This includes receptacles in common spaces, like the trash can inthe communal laundry room.
- Stale air If you are just moving into a new apartment thats been empty for a while, you could be greeted with the overwhelming odor of fresh paint, carpet glue and stale air. Or, if youre just coming back after an extended time away, your apartment might have that stagnant mustiness hanging around.
- Neighbors Sure, everyone worries abouthow to deal with a noisy neighbor, but what about a smelly one? Cooking and smoking odors can waft down the hallways, under your apartment door, or even small spaces between walls, leaving a not-so-pleasing odor.
- Nearby construction Construction on that building next door can kick up clouds of sawdust, sheetrock dust, chemical and welding fumes, creating an acrid, metallic smell that seems to penetrate every surface.
- Fifi or Fido We all love our pets, but sometimes they can be a bit smelly or accident prone . Especially when they arenew to apartment living and dont know the rules yet.
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How Much Bleach Do You Use To Clean A Cooler
To remove the musty smell from a cooler, you need to clean it thoroughly. First, wash the outside of the cooler using soap and warm water. Then, dry it completely. After that, apply a layer of mineral oil or vegetable oil on the surface of the cooler. Let it sit overnight and then wipe off the next day. This process will help eliminate the musty smell.
Clearing Mold From Carpets
A carpet is a common place where mold finds refuge. Dropping liquids, or cleaning carpets without properly drying them, is enough to find bacteria growing inside the fibers.
Hand Washing
To avoid discoloration, we recommend avoiding borax, bleach, or chlorine products.
Instead of vinegar, you can also use commercial products. Just ensure that youre selecting one formulated explicitly for carpets.
Drying the Area
When possible, hang your carpet outside, under the sun. If its attached to the floor, drying the carpet will play an important role in removing the mold and its smell. Here are some tips:
- Towel or cloth: Remove as much moisture as possible using a dry towel or cloth.
- Ventilation: Maintain good airflow in the room. Use fans and open the windows until the carpet is fully dry.
- Humidifier: If you own one, place it close by. Itll absorb some of the moisture.
- Hair dryer: Use the hot air of a hairdryer to make the drying process faster.
Using a Steamer
For that reason, the entire carpet needs to be treated. Depending on the surface, it may take longer and more elbow grease than you originally planned.
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Ways To Get Fireplace Smell Out Of Your House
There are several methods for getting rid of bad fireplace smells. Some require the help of a qualified professional, while others are natural home remedies. Listed below are 11 of the most effective fireplace smell solutions.
In the sections below, well show you how each of these methods can help you get rid of fireplace smell.
Simple Ways To Get Rid Of The Mold Smell In Your Home
Your home is supposed to be your oasis. It should be the place you love coming home to at the end of a long day. Its the place where you can relax and unwind at least, it would be in a perfect world.
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link!*
But what about when youre trying to relax in your home and you suddenly smell something a bit stale.
Musty.
Damp.
No one wants to deal with mold in their home, but it happens!
When you recognize that mold smell, dont panic! There are some easy solutions you can use to rid your home of mold and the musty odor it brings!
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What Type Of Mold Is It
Does the mold on the surface of your potted plants soil look something like this:
If so, then this is almost certainly something called saprophytic fungi .
Saprophytic means: an organism which consumes decaying organic matter. When you see mold in your potted plants, this is essentially your plants going wow, this soil is LIT!
Saprophytic fungi are known as litter transformers. By eating dead organic material, they literally change the chemical composition of that material into something valuable for the soil.
Saprophytic microbes are therefore very important to composting, as they break down the organic material added to compost piles to turn it into rich soil. They essentially eat garbage and poop out gold.
Note: Not literal gold. Lol.
Compost fungi that result in mold are most often actinomycetes. Now, were not expecting you to remember that fancy word, but just know that these guys are naturally occurring in soil and that their presence is a GOOD THING.
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Don’t Neglect The Engine Bay
Sometimes unpleasant smells can emanate from the engine due to dirt and grime build-up. These smells can migrate to the cabin through vents. Cleaning the engine with a steam cleaner followed by a degreaser and a water rinse can eliminate the chances of those smells settling on door panels and other interior areas. Finish by wiping down with a microfiber cloth.
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Getting Rid Of Odors:
Simply drying out the area of the house that smells musty may not be enough to completely eradicate the smell. If any amounts of mold spores remain, they will continue to spread throughout the room and house, keeping that musty smell coming back.
The best way to remove all unpleasant smells from a house is to give every affected area a good scrubbing with a good cleaning agent such as:
- one part boric acid
- two parts hydrogen peroxide
- four parts water
Then scrub the walls, floors, furniture and more with it. Just be sure not to saturate the items or area since too much moisture can aggravate the situation.
Always be sure to ventilate the rooms well with fans and open windows and dry any wet or moist areas thoroughly. Keep the windows open for as long as possible to help get some fresh air flow through the house.
Know Where Old House Smell Comes From
Its almost impossible to remove a smell if you dont know where its coming from and whats causing it. Older homes are typically darker and normally dont have very good ventilation systems compared to more modern ones. Herein lies the problem. Poor ventilation leads to dampness and, when combined with darkness, mold can flourish. Thats right the old-house smell is typically caused by mold. Fortunately, there are ways to get rid of it.
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How To Eliminate Musty Smells In Your Laundry
Apple cider vinegar solution
If vinegar doesnt work, use baking soda
- 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.
Make The Most Of Fresh Air
When the weather is nice, take advantage of it by opening your windows to let in fresh air. This will help remove unwanted odors and improve air quality inside the home.
Of course, if you have allergies, check the exterior air quality first to make sure the pollen and smog counts are low, no one is burning debris and there are no unwanted smells, such as animal odors or road construction smells.
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Why Does My Home Smell Like Mold
The reason your home smells like mildew or mold is because it is likely there are spores floating around in the air. Your homes ventilation system could be causing a little bit of humidity to get trapped inside, which breeds these moldy smells.
These mold spores can grow anywhere, but they tend to grow most often in places with less traffic or extra moisture .
You might think that mold and musty odors only happen in old homes, but they can grow even in new houses and buildings. Mold just needs darkness, air, moisture, and warmth to grow.
So, if you have begun to smell mold in your home, how do you get rid of it?
Dont worry there are a few ways you can get rid of that musty smell quickly and easily!
Clean Your Ventilation Systems
Clean your air ventilation systems regularly. Pay attention to your filters and intake systems in your HVAC system and inspect them for any mold growth.
If the air isnt properly exchanged through good ventilation, you will likely have poor indoor air quality and moisture problems. And moisture leads to mold.
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Best Ways To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell
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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.
When To Hire A Pro
Clothing that cannot safely be machine washed in hot water or delicate fabrics may require a trip to the dry cleaner. If you arent sure, you wont want to risk damaging expensive items.
Washing Machines that resist your efforts may have a clogged drain or filter or even mold behind the drum. Unless you are very handy with appliance repairs, it is best to call a licensed repairer.
Carpet that has remained wet for more than 24 hours will probably need to be removed. If your home floods or washer overflows, promptly drying out the area can save you thousands of dollars. Large exhaust fans, along with ventilation, can sometimes dry out the carpeting as long as its not a large spot or allowed to soak into the padding.
Kitchen and Bath cabinets may also need professional help. Unless the area is minimal, black mold is best handled by remediation.
Books and Paintings with sentimental or monetary value should be left to a reputable restoration company.
In short, mold can be hazardous and expensive to remove. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Promptly clean up spills, especially on rugs or wood floors. Hang bath towels so they can completely dry between showers.
Plumbing leaks should be fixed as soon as possible. Dehumidifiers, ceiling fans, and odor absorbers can help prevent mold growth. Being proactive around the home will ensure that everyone is breathing fresh, clean air.
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Pay Attention To Carpets & Upholstery
So far, youve reduced humidity, let light in, recirculated air and destroyed any sources of mold. But, does something still smell musty? Over time, fabrics absorb a lot of moisture, and mold spores can soon take hold. Carpets are notorious for absorbing smells, so if you want to keep them, they will likely need a professional, deep clean otherwise, it might be best to replace them altogether. Furthermore, upholstery on couches, armchairs and any other furniture can also harbor smells. Again, either replace them or give them a really deep clean.
How To Get Rid Of Mold Smell
Have you identified a musty odor and are wondering how to get rid of mold smell? This unpleasant aroma doesnt go away easily, and spraying an air freshener will only help temporarily. Once you detect the odor, the key is to look for the mold colony.
Although spores arent causing the awful scent, they generally come as a package. Spores travel through the air and potentially into your lungs. Therefore, removing that mold smell isnt only necessary for fragrance purposes but also to keep you and your family in good health.
Clearing mold isnt as simple as a regular cleaning session some precautions are required. Weve outlined the best substances and techniques to eliminate mold smell to make the removal task faster.
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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?
- A pinch of apple cider vinegar
- One cup of white vinegar
- One cup of baking soda
