Have you noticed musty odours in your house? Then you have mildew in your house, which is the leading cause of the musty smell. The worst part about the musty smell caused by mildew is that it can cause various health issues for you and your family, such as itchy eyes, coughing, fatigue, headaches, and skin infections. With so many problems that moulds and mildew cause, it is critical to keep them at bay. Tips to remove musty smells from your home can be found here in this blog.
However, with a thorough cleaning and diligence to prevent further mildew growth, you can quickly and permanently eliminate the musty smell. And, in order to remove musty smells, you must first locate their source.
How To Locate The Source Of A Musty Smell?
To get rid of bad smells in the house, deal with the specific cause- the mildew. Below is the list of areas where you can locate the source of the musty smell:
- Bathroom – Does your bathroom smell musty after showering? Mildew thrives well in areas that are always wet and warm. So, check for them in the shower, around the sinks, on the shower curtains, toilets, and tubs.
- Kitchen – As said earlier, mildew likes wet and warm areas, and your kitchen is one of them. Therefore, look for leakage around the dishwasher, the sinks, the refrigerator, and other appliances that use water, including the tea kettles and coffee makers.
- Living Area and Bedroom – Check for leaks under potted plants and around the window seals. And, don’t forget to check the closets-mildew thrives in them. Damp clothes or shoes can also cause mildew growth, leading to a musty smell.
- Laundry Room – Areas likely to harbour mildew in the laundry room are the front-load’s washers and the washer. Also, if you leave damp towels in a heap, your laundry room might attract mould and mildew. So, don’t forget to take a trip there.
You must do a smelly house remedy or odour eliminator home remedy to remove the musty smell from the room. Let’s have a look at our options.
How To Get Rid Of Musty Smell In House?
To get rid of the smell in the house, you need to:
01. Clean The Mildew Away
Remove mildew whenever you see it in your home. This will assist you in resolving the musty smell problem. Use diluted chlorine bleach to remove musty odours from surfaces such as cement walls, washable fabrics, ceramic tiles and grout.
02. Increase Your House Air Circulation To Remove Musty Smells
Whether there is mildew evidence in your house or not, the presence of a musty smell signifies that you need to increase your home’s air circulation. Wondering how? It is simple: open the doors and windows; turn on the attic and ceiling fans. Adding fans to every room in your house would do the trick.
03. Control The Excess Moisture And Repair Leaks
Repair any leaks you come across. For the areas with excessive moisture, you need to redirect water flow on the home’s exterior. Installing ventilation fans in your rooms would also help.
04. Turn The Cooling Or Heating System On To Remove Musty Smells
Turning on the HVAC system in your house can help you draw out a musty smell and capture the spores of the mould and mildew in the filter. Ensure that the system filters are clean and, if possible, replace them often; this will help you remove musty smells.
05. Declutter And Clean Every Space
Books and paper stacks can trap moisture, causing a musty smell, so if possible, go from room to room and clean every surface. Get rid of every piece of clutter you come across.
06. Install A Dehumidifier To Remove Musty Smells
Mildew and mould thrive well in moist areas. Therefore, lessening the humidity level in your home may help keep mildew at bay; you can do it by installing a dehumidifier in your home. And to make the humidifiers effective, you need to keep them clean and empty the water-catching bin often.
07. Deep Clean The Carpets
Deep cleaning the carpet removes mildew spores and freshens up your home. However, you need to work on them on a dry, windy day to ensure that the fabrics will dry quickly.
08. Add Odour Absorbers To Remove Musty Smells
Do you know what absorbs bad smells in a room? There are a variety of materials that can assist in absorbing unpleasant odours.
For the closet with poor air circulation, hang commercial odour absorbers. You can use kitty litter, dry baking soda, or coffee grounds to absorb odours.
09. Clean Your Washing Machine
Always ensure that you clean your washing machine at least once a month to prevent the growth of bacteria or mildew. Use a household cleaner to wipe the washer drum and toss a couple of tablespoons of baking soda. Then, without a load inside, run on a cycle of hot water.
10. Add Pleasing Scent To Remove Musty Smells
After removing the mildew, add a pleasing scent by smouldering citrus peels or spices, lighting candles, commercial air fresheners or essential oil diffusers, or using diffuser sticks.
11. Deep Clean Upholstered Furniture
Wash all the removable covers in the laundry and use baking soda to scrub any curious, mystery stains. However, if your furniture’s covers are not removable, dust dander and hair off with a soft-bristled brush. Then wipe it with a damp cloth. For the leather furniture, you can wipe it with a mixture of water and vinegar.
How To Prevent Musty Smell From Coming Back?
Now that you’ve successfully banished that musty smell and freshened your house, how can you maintain it? Below are a few rules of thumb that will keep your home as fresh as a daisy:
- Start a regular cleaning schedule – Cleaning your house often ensures that mould, dust, and mildew do not build up. In addition, it also prevents the musty smell from taking over your home.
- Open the blinds, and pull back the curtain – If you cannot keep your windows open for any reason, pull back the curtains. Natural light works wonders for mustiness.
- Consider shower curtain cleaning. The shower curtain has two parts: the curtain itself and its liner. Consider cleaning the liner once a week because it is far more likely to accumulate soap and mould. Since the shower curtain hangs outside the liner, cleaning is only necessary once a month. Following this timeline may prevent the musty smell from returning.
- Thoroughly clean the coffee machine, kettle and other kitchen appliances.
- Avoid smoking in the house.
- Avoid spills and messes – Carpet has a dreadful propensity to absorb foul odours. They can absorb odours deeply, unlike tiles or floorboards. As a result, removing those obnoxious odours may be challenging, to say the least. However, with some effort, you can prevent the musty smell from coming back.
- Invest in air purifiers – Do air purifiers remove a musty smell? Yes, if the musty smell persists, consider investing in a dehumidifier or air purifier. They would purify the air in your house.
- Ventilate your house – If possible, keep doors and windows open to allow fresh air to circulate in your house. The best way to keep the musty smell at bay is by letting fresh air circulate throughout your home.
Mildew is the primary cause of musty odours in your home. To eliminate the bad smell in house, you must work on the mildew and prevent it from returning. And you can only do so if you minimise dampness and maximise air circulation in your home. By doing so, your home will once again smell fresh.
The words mildew and mould are used interchangeably as if they were the same thing. This brings up the need to debate the difference between mildew and mould. Well, they are both fungi and can cause similar allergic reactions in humans. However, mildew is easier to clean and does not spread as quickly as mould, making it less dangerous.
Mould and mildew may start growing as early as 24 to 48 hours after a surface has been dampened. Mildew’s white-grey spots spread, remaining on the surface, while mould eats into the base of the affected area and grows out of it. Moisture is the chief cause behind the growth of mould and mildew. Hence, it is imperative to get rid of moisture in the house. You can remove mould from your home by following the tips mentioned in the blog –
7 Effective Home Remedies to Get Rid of Mold!
Author Bio
Fidelis Kinai – Fidelis Muti possess a bachelor’s in English and Journalism and have over four years of professional experienced writing and proofreading materials for print and online platforms, including newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs, and social media accounts. He also have over three years of experience as a marketing assistant and social media manager.
He is versatile and diligent and will produce exemplary content within time to meet your deadline.
He can deliver most work within 2-3 days; rush orders are accepted whenever possible. He is based in the Kenya but travel often and work for clients all over the world.
