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- Mold and mildew. The most common cause of a sudden musty smell in a house, especially in winter, is the development of mold and mildew, often caused by humid conditions and condensation.
- Dust and grime build up. If you cannot find any sources of mold in your home then the source may be a little less sinister. ‘ Musty smells are often caused in the home by a build-up of dirt and grime, which can cause a lingering, unpleasant smell,’ explains Amanda Lewis of Elbow Grease. ‘
- Improperly dried clothing and linens. Although drying clothes quickly is convenient, not leaving clothes and linens to dry for long enough can leave them smelling musty and cause a permanent odor in your home.
- Home humidity above 60% Trying to work out what humidity your house should be in winter can be difficult. Nevertheless, a humidity over 60% can trap odors and create a musty, damp lingering smell around your home.
- Overview
- Run the ceiling fa
- Open your doors and window
- Absorb odor with baking sod
- Use a dehumidifie
- Buy an air purifie
- Steam upholstery and carpetin
- Wash your pet's beddin
- Fix any cracked or broken pipe
- Clean mildewed areas with bleac
A musty smell in your house is never fun, but it's surprisingly common and pretty easy to fix. If your sick of the smell and are looking for a quick solution, there's a lot you can do. We've got a lot of tips to help, like making sure your home is getting proper ventilation and checking to see if the smell is coming from a particular source (and wh...
Circulating air can help get rid of musty smells.
Sometimes musty smells come from the air being too humid and still. Turn on your ceiling fan to dry out the air and get rid of the smell.
Get some fresh air circulating in your space.
Take 5-10 minutes to completely air out your space. The air outside is a lot cleaner than the air inside your home. If your home is really smelling musty, give it some fresh air.
Pour baking soda into bowls and place them throughout your home.
Baking soda can deodorize your home due to its ability to absorb the smell. If you don't have any baking soda on hand, kitty litter can double as an odor eliminator.
Pour kitty litter into bowls and keep them throughout your home like you would baking soda.
Charcoal briquettes are another option to absorb odors. Place them in trays throughout your home or set them on a shelf or table to get rid of any musty smell.
High humidity levels can make a house smell musty.
Install a dehumidifier and keep the humidity level at 50%. This can keep the air nice and dry, and hopefully prevent any mold from growing in your space. Make sure the humidity level is never over 60% (that's when mildew and mold can start to thrive).
This removes smelly air pollutants like mold, pollen, dander, and dust.
For best results, use a true HEPA filter. Replace the filter regularly to keep the machine working as efficiently as possible. Keep the air purifier in your living room or anywhere in your home where the smell is particularly musty.
Air purifiers cost about $50-100 a year to run and maintain.
You can also use a HEPA filter when changing the filtration system of your AC and other HVAC equipment in your home. This can keep the air in your house cleaner than a standard filter and can improve the smell as well.
Your 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.
Pet bedding can get pretty smelly and musty after a while.
For example, if your dog frequently goes in and outside, they track in mud and water into their beds. That moisture seeps into their bedding and contributes to mold growth. To avoid this, wash your pet beds and blankets regularly in the washer. Check the washing and drying requirements listed on the label for specific instructions.
These can cause water leakage (and eventually, mildew and mold growth).
Check all the faucets and pipes in your home for potential leaks. If you notice any leaks, cracks, or broken pipes,
yourself or call a plumber for some help.
Regularly check the pipes in your home for leaks to prevent moisture buildup. It's a little extra work, but it will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.
The smell may be coming from mildew or mold in your house.
Check spaces where mold thrives, like the caulking in your shower or grout lines between bathroom tiles. If you find anything, use a mixture of bleach and water to get rid of it before it spreads.
Mix 1 cup (240 mL) of bleach with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. Apply the solution to the moldy or mildewy surface and scrub it with a brush. Next, rinse off the solution with water and let it air dry.
When looking for the source of the smell, move things that may be hiding the mold or mildew growth, like soap and shampoo bottles in the bathroom or storage containers in your basement.
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Nov 12, 2022 · If there's a musty smell lingering in your house, tracking down the source is the best way to get rid of it for good. Learn what causes mold and mildew to grow, and how to remove them.
- Mary Marlowe Leverette
- Locate the Source of the Musty Smell. It's time to take a look and a sniff around. Until you identify the source of the musty smell, you'll never be able to get rid of it—and it can get worse.
- Repair Leaks and Control Excessive Moisture. To get musty smells under control, repair any leaks that you find. If you don't, the odors cannot be controlled.
- Clean Away Mildew. When you see evidence of mildew, it's important to get rid of it before or after you solve the problem causing the issue. You can try using diluted chlorine bleach, as it's highly effective in killing mildew on surfaces like ceramic tile and grout, cement walls, and washable fabrics.
- Increase Air Circulation. Whether you find visible evidence of mildew or not, the musty smell signals that you need to increase air circulation in the home.
- Your Carpeting Needs Cleaned. There are many reasons why wall-to-wall carpet throughout the home has fallen out of favor—a major one being that carpet retains odors.
- The Ventilation Is Inadequate. According to Murphy, inadequate ventilation is another primary source of those musty aromas. “Limited fresh air can lead to stale, musty conditions,” she explains.
- There’s A Leak. Leaks can also cause musty odors, but the bigger problem is that they aren’t always visible. “Hidden leaks within walls or under floors can perpetuate ongoing mustiness,” Murphy explains.
- Mold Is Growing. While mold on surfaces can be obvious, such as when you see it growing on a wall or ceiling, that isn’t always the case, explains Momplaisir.
Jan 13, 2023 · A musty or dusty smell is often a sign of mold or mildew, especially in humid or moisture-prone environments like the basement, laundry room, kitchen, or bathroom. Mold and mildew can...
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4 days ago · 1. Mold & Mildew Growth. (Image credit: Getty Images) In conversation with Emily Adams, cleaning expert at NW Maids, she tells us that mold and mildew tend to be the prime reason your home is developing a musty scent. "Mold and mildew thrive in damp, poorly ventilated areas, such as basements and bathrooms," she notes.
