You should get rid of it without delay. Otherwise, you will have to think about buying a new wardrobe and completely changing your wardrobe.
Read the article about how to remove the smell of mold and mustiness in a clothes closet.
Why does an unpleasant musty odor appear?
First of all, it is necessary to find out what caused its appearance. Otherwise, the unpleasant odor can only be masked.
Frequent causes:
- Lack of ventilation.
- High humidity.
- Improper organization of storage.
- Dust mites.
Arachnid parasites of microscopic size appear in hard-to-reach places where there is an accumulation of dust. Ticks are not dangerous to the human body, but their waste products cause unpleasant odors and allergies in households.
Failure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations on laundry detergent labels or an unsuitable machine mode can also cause the appearance of a foreign odor, which will intensify when stored in a closed cabinet.
Preparation
The first thing you need to do when starting the fight for freshness is to thoroughly clean every corner of the apartment. First of all, sort out your things; if the room is cluttered, the smell of old age will definitely return even after cleaning. Everything that has not been used for a long time can be thrown away; bedspreads and curtains, as well as things from closets, must be washed, always drying in the open air.
If there is floor carpet in the apartment, it is better to get rid of it, but if this is not possible, then be sure to take it to the dry cleaner. Next comes the turn of the windows, they need to be washed thoroughly, do not forget to wipe the wallpaper with a damp cloth, they will definitely smell. And the last stage of the preparatory work will be the treatment of the floors: they need to be washed several times, using special scented disinfectants.
How to eliminate it using folk remedies?
Budget funds that every housewife has in her arsenal will help get rid of the heavy aroma.
First you need to treat the surfaces of the cabinet. Any of the following will do:
- table vinegar;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- boric acid.
Mode of application:
- Prepare a solution with water in a ratio of 1:3.
- Wipe down shelves and furniture walls.
- Wait until dry.
It is recommended to carry out processing in a well-ventilated area.
To prevent the reappearance of the smell, you need to use available absorbents and flavoring agents and place them on the shelves:
- pour salt, soda or crushed activated carbon into small containers;
- fill textile bags, preferably made of natural fabric, with ground or bean coffee;
- make a sachet from citrus peels, aromatic herbs, herbs and spices.
It is not recommended to use air fresheners or spray perfume on the contents of the closet. This will have the opposite effect.
Tips for making your closet smell nice - in the video:
How to get rid of the unpleasant smell of old furniture?
The first step is to find the source. In upholstered furniture this is padding, in cabinet furniture it is loose wood for the internal lining. Expensive furniture of the 19th century was stuffed with sea grass and horsehair boiled in lye. Neither the iodized sea grass nor the pickled hair harbored bacteria, fungi, or insects. The situation is worse with inexpensive sofas and armchairs. They were stuffed with bast, straw, sponge, sawdust, and sisal. These are “land” plants. Their fibers contain cell sap that serves as food for bacteria. Bacteria and mold fungi are extremely tenacious. It is useless to freeze, dry and pickle. If the organism dies, the odorous product of its vital activity remains forever. The only way is to replace the filler with an authentic one.
In cabinet furniture, cabinets, chests of drawers, bedside tables, first aid kits, the smell settles in the wood itself. Wiping the walls of the closet with vinegar, placing scented candles, or moisturizing with odor eliminators is practically useless. The aromas of valerian and naphthalene lived in the wood fibers and will remain so. You can open the doors, pull out the drawers and leave the item to air for a couple of years. The smell may go away, or it may not.
Industrial neutralizers and absorbers
Specialized products to combat odors will help housewives deal with the problem faster. Popular Products:
SmelIOFF
A universal odor remover in a convenient spray bottle. Effective on various surfaces.
Can be processed:
- shoes,
- clothes,
- animals,
- furniture,
- carpets and so on.
Does not cause an allergic reaction. The average price is 550-700 rubles per 0.5 liter.
Selena
Budget granular odor absorber, versatile and non-toxic. It is enough to open the hole on the lid of the container and place it in places where heavy air accumulates. The average price is 20-38 rubles per 1 piece.
Emix-O
Emix-O concentrate:
- neutralizes odors,
- disinfects,
- effective in combating animal odors.
It is economically used: a teaspoon is enough for one treatment. The average price is 350-420 rubles per 100. To achieve results, you must carefully study the instructions on the packaging and strictly follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
What are the consequences of breathing dirty air?
Formaldehyde emissions are especially intense in the first few months after purchasing furniture. In addition to it, furniture production uses varnishes, laminates, decorative tiles and other materials that can release xylene, methanol, toluene and other substances.
To begin with, it makes sense to find out why new furniture smells bad.
Symptoms of poisoning by these toxic elements include the following:
- pain in the eyes;
- nausea and vomiting;
- problems with focusing;
- headache;
- pneumonia;
- allergic reactions;
- worsening asthma symptoms;
- decreased performance;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Formaldehyde also increases the tendency to form cancerous tumors.
Correctly identifying the cause of an unwanted odor will help you get rid of it as quickly as possible.
Important! To avoid such unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to purchase furniture with a quality certificate of the European group of standards E1 and the “Leaf of Life” eco-label (the most popular option for Russia).
We act according to the situation
The different nature of the problem requires an individual approach . But measures will be effective only in combination. It is necessary not only to get rid of the cause, but also to eliminate the consequences and prevent them - these are mandatory stages in the fight against foreign odors in the closet.
How to remove in a new cabinet?
Buying new furniture is a joyful event, but the specific smell of the paint and varnish coating and material can be a problem. High-quality products exude a “new” aroma for no more than 2 weeks, but the process can be accelerated.
First of all, the room where the new cabinet is located must be ventilated. A simple but effective method will help you get rid of the smell
- Open furniture doors wide open.
- Pour baking soda into plastic glasses (no more than half).
- Place them in each compartment.
- Place black tea bags on the shelves.
The aroma of new furniture disappears in about 2 weeks. If the problem persists, you must repeat the procedure. Absorbents, tea and soda, must be changed every 14 days to be effective.
You can find out how to remove the smell of new furniture here.
From old wooden
Even old furniture cannot emit an unpleasant odor on its own, so it is necessary to identify the cause of its appearance. The best way is to audit the things in your closet. If you get rid of the old stuff, wash the rest with the addition of aromatic conditioner, the unpleasant smell will disappear.
The closet itself also needs to be refreshed:
- treat shelves and walls with furniture polish;
- ventilate the internal parts until completely dry;
- lay out clean laundry;
- add pieces of fragrant soap to it.
General cleaning should be repeated monthly. For prevention, you can use industrial flavorings.
If the problem has partially gone away, you can sprinkle dry mustard inside the cabinet and close the doors. After 48 hours, the powder will absorb excess aromas and should be removed.
Animal odor
The appearance of uninvited guests in the wardrobe is another “fragrant” problem . If a mouse odor or rodent waste products appear on the shelves, it is necessary to destroy their source and treat the surfaces with a solution of peroxide or acetic acid.
Cat tags are more difficult to remove. It is necessary to find the pet’s “favorite” places and treat them with special industrial products to neutralize the smell of animals, which are sold in pet and hardware stores.
Alternative Homemade Ingredients:
- lemon acid,
- alcohol,
- hydrogen peroxide.
It is not recommended to use products with a strong odor for treatment; the pet will certainly try to kill it by marking the territory again.
From tobacco
Acrid tobacco smoke quickly settles on surfaces and penetrates their structure.
To rid furniture of a specific aroma, you need to clear the shelves and treat them with a weak solution of acetic acid .
Another option is to place a damp towel in the closet. After 30 minutes, it must be washed and the procedure repeated. After using a damp cloth, surfaces need to be dried and ventilated.
Smell of dust
To eliminate the smell of dust, it is enough to regularly clean the shelves. To do this you need:
- Empty the wardrobe of its contents.
- Shake items thoroughly and hang for airing.
- Clean the surfaces with a damp cloth and add a weak solution of vinegar or ammonia.
- Thoroughly ventilate and dry the cabinet.
- Return the contents to their place.
Do not use large amounts of moisture for cleaning. An undried surface is more likely to be attacked by an unpleasant fungus - mold.
Mold
The fungus loves dark, damp places. Increased humidity in the closet can lead to the appearance of characteristic stains on surfaces and clothing. In addition, mold negatively affects the human body. You need to get rid of it at the first symptoms.
Mold is sensitive to aggressive components. Every home will have:
- baking soda;
- vinegar;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- alcohol;
- bleach.
A solution of water with one of the components kills mold spores. To prevent its further occurrence, you need to use an antiseptic, which can be purchased at a hardware or hardware store.
Another effective method is treating the wardrobe with a steam generator . If the surfaces are severely damaged by fungus, it is better to think about buying a new cabinet.
Recommendations from an experienced housewife - in the video:
Ways to eliminate old age odor
Scented candles can be used regularly in the future, as they fill the room with a pleasant aroma.
You can remove an unpleasant musty smell from furniture and premises in several other popularly proven ways. To do this, use special household appliances designed for such purposes, as well as ordinary paper and wax candles. It is better to familiarize yourself with each method in detail:
- Incense sticks and/or candles effectively remove odors. To do this, they are set on fire and carried throughout the entire area of the apartment or house. In places with the highest concentration of unpleasant aromas, candles and sticks are left for 2-3 hours. The effectiveness of the method is due to the rich, pleasant aroma emitted during smoldering/burning.
- Tear up a sheet of paper or newspaper and place it in containers that are resistant to high temperatures. Next, the paper is set on fire and left in places that cause an unpleasant odor. As a rule, it is possible to get rid of the old smell after the first time.
When using industrial products with aggressive composition, it is important to follow personal safety rules. To avoid the development of allergic reactions and chemical burns, perform work in a respirator and rubber gloves.
Prevention
To prevent an unpleasant odor from settling in the closet where linen, clothes and shoes are stored, you must follow the following rules:
- Do not place the wardrobe near sources of dampness and strong odors (kitchen, bathroom), in dark, poorly ventilated corners. There should be a gap between the wall and the back of the cabinet for air circulation.
- Take care of things regularly: hang them out for airing on frosty and sunny days, dry them well after washing, do not mix clean and worn clothes.
- Conduct an inspection and general cleaning of shelves monthly. It is advisable to treat the surface with a weak solution of vinegar.
- Do not store shoes next to clothing; items must be cleaned, dried and packed before seasonal storage.
- Do not smoke indoors, do not allow pets to settle in the closet, and do not keep the doors constantly open.
It must be remembered that it is easier to prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor than to get rid of it over time.
What to do if things in your closet smell musty
Go through them
In modern apartments, ventilation is also installed in dressing rooms so that the air does not stagnate. If it is not possible to ventilate there, at least ventilate the rooms with cabinets well and periodically sort their contents.
Re-wash things
Linen that has been stored in the closet for a long time should be washed before use, even if you put it in the closet fresh. To get rid of pre-existing odors, use a simple recipe: add a glass of vinegar to the washing machine along with the powder. If items smell strong, you can soak them in a 1:1 solution of water and vinegar before washing. This method will help remove not only mold, but also other unpleasant odors.
Clean the washing machine
It happens that after washing clothes there is still a musty smell, what should you do in this case? At a minimum, the car should be cleaned: clean the rubber cuff, check for mold and remove small debris. Also clean the detergent dispenser. It may be worthwhile to thoroughly clean the machine from dirt.
Also change your usage habits: do not close the door immediately after washing to allow the moisture to completely evaporate from the device. Don't put dirty clothes in the machine unless you plan to wash them right away. Especially if you don't let the equipment dry out. Mold and other unsightly bacteria will grow in damp items.
Consider your storage system
To prevent things from starting to smell in the closet again, you should avoid the reasons that we wrote about at the beginning of the article. And also think about reorganizing your storage. For example, seasonal clothing that you are not currently wearing can be vacuum sealed to keep it dry.
Never store fresh linen and towels next to unwashed clothes; the fabric absorbs odors well, so it will smell like old socks again. Create a separate basket for dirty items. Place special bags in your closet or place a jar of coffee beans - these methods will help prolong the freshness of your clothes.
Useful tips
Often, an unpleasant odor on shelves comes from laundry that is not properly cared for. Experienced housewives recommend paying attention to:
Selection of detergents and conditioners. The variety of aromas has a negative impact on the air in a small enclosed space. It is necessary to give preference to a weakly expressed aroma or household chemicals without it.- Wash and rinse mode. Poor cleaning or detergent residue on the fabric is harmful to human skin, respiratory tract and air on wardrobe shelves.
- Drying things. Residual moisture on laundry can cause mold and heavy air to form in the place where it is stored. Drying should take place outside or in a well-ventilated area, away from sources of strong odors.
- Clothes storage. Do not overload the closet with unnecessary things; store clean and worn leather goods (shoes, bags, belts) on one shelf in the compartments for bed and underwear.
- Cleaning. Ventilation, inspection and cleaning of shelves should become a habit.
You will find a lot of useful and important information about removing various unpleasant odors from objects and surfaces in this section.
