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- 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.
- 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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- Excess Moisture Around The House. One of the most common causes of musty smells in the house is excess moisture, which means there’s water in some areas where it shouldn’t be.
- Poor Air Circulation Inside The House. Inadequate airflow is another common reason a house smells musty, even without mold. When there is stagnant air inside your home, bacteria and other contaminants can get trapped indoors, which results in that old musty smell.
- Household Members Smoking Indoors. If you or another household member smokes indoors, even if it’s only occasionally, then you may have found the culprit behind that old, musty smell inside the house.
- Dirt & Spills that Haven’t Been Properly Cleaned. Dirt, spills, and messes are quite common, and even unavoidable, when you have little kids or pets in the household.
Apr 7, 2024 · 3. Let some fresh air in. houzz. You need to ventilate your house as much as possible. Open windows, turn on ceiling fans or do both to achieve this. The more air movement you can create in your house, the better. With ventilation, your home will smell less musty and become less appealing to mold and mildew.
Oct 4, 2024 · There are a few things you can do to get rid of musty house smells when it rains. First, make sure that your gutters are clean and free of debris. This will help prevent water from seeping into your home and causing mold and mildew to grow. Second, open your windows and doors to let in the fresh air.
Oct 11, 2024 · 1. 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. A musty smell, accompanied by dark discoloration on walls, furnishings, ceilings, or carpets can be the first sign of spores.
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Aug 15, 2024 · Using a mixture of dishwashing detergent and water, perform an initial cleaning of the affected area using a sponge, cloth, or brush. Let the wall dry completely. Mix a solution of ¾ cup of chlorine bleach with one gallon of water. Sponge the mixture onto the affected area and let it sit for about five minutes.
