Mold and Mildew Smell – How to Remove It?

 Mold and Mildew Smell, Goodbye Musty Smell!

Mold and mildew smell lying in your house and do you know how to remove it?  We already know that mold and mildew have been around since the beginning of time. Mold often has a characteristic musty smell, which is usually caused by volatile organic chemicals or also known as VOCs, which are produced by mold.  Damp spaces, including the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room, encourage mildew growth amongst others.

Mold has been around for so long that we can even see the Bible-quoting it in Leviticus.  You’d think that by now, there are efficient ways to remove the musty smell that comes from mold and mildew.  They really stink! Well, the good news is there are do it yourself hacks you can try at home to remove that horrid smell.  We’ve compiled some of the methods that people have tried and proven countless times. You can check them out and see if it works for you.

Tested and Proven Ways in Removing Musty Mold and Mildew Smell

Removing a Musty Bathroom Smell

The bathroom is where we go get ourselves cleaned.  However, the presence of mildew in your bathroom can turn into an unpleasant room. So what do you need to do to get rid of mildew smell in your bathroom?  To remove the smell, you have to first clean the mildew’s main breeding grounds like the tile grout. Whether you need to spot-treat or clean the whole room, you can start with bleach and scrub it off.  What you can do is mix 1 part bleach to 4 parts water. Then scrub the walls and floors with this homemade mildew killer, then rinse. You can use an exhaust fan to help lessen the humidity of your bathroom, so mold and mildew won’t find it easy to reproduce in there.

Removing a Mold and Mildew Smell on Towels

Speaking of bathrooms, if your bathroom has a musty smell, chances are everything in it will also stink.  So, after you clean the bathroom, make sure to grab any smelly, damp fabrics like towels and bath mats and clean them as well.  How do you think you can get mildew smell out of towels? Well, the solution is also found in your house.

For your towels, all you need is baking soda, vinegar, and a washing machine.  Get 1 cup of white vinegar and half a cup of baking soda. Load your washer with the towels, set it to the hottest settings and the heaviest load you can set it to and then place the vinegar.  After the cycle is done, put the baking soda and start it again for another cycle. You have the option to load them back and use your favorite detergent or to skip this step and take the towels right away and place them in the dryer.  The musty smell will be removed, and you’ll be left with your towels smelling like brand new. Remember to give your towels more time to breathe and be fully dry after every use

You can do the same instructions for your bath mats, but if you feel they are too dirty, you can soak them in all-fabric bleach for about half an hour before you wash them.  Just the same, after soaking you can then rinse and launder in hot water and like colors to kill the mildew.

Removing Mold and Mildew Smell on Clothes

Sometimes we store our clothes, and they get all musty and mildewy from being boxed up in our basements or attics.  Don’t worry, you can still get that stink out of your favorite clothes, and you don’t have to throw them away. You can do the same procedure as the towels, and you’re good to go!

Removing a Mold and Mildew Smell on Cushions

If it is machine washable, you can use solutions specifically for this problem.  If not, a spot treatment solution will do the trick. You can also try spraying it with lemon-infused water and allow it to dry thoroughly.

Removing a Musty Room Smell

First, figure out where the smell is coming from.  Sometimes the awful smell comes from a soaked carpet.  So, in order to get rid of a musty odor in your house, you have to take care of the water leak first.  Then go to the area and check if it is still wet and make sure to remove the moisture on the carpet as well.  After making sure that the carpet is clean and dry, take your vinegar solution and spray it on there. Direct a fan to the carpet and allow the air to circulate to remove the smell.

If there is still a lingering earthy smell in the house, you can get a bowl you can throw away after, pour vinegar and tuck it inconspicuously where it won’t draw any attention to.  The vinegar will eventually evaporate. You will only experience a slight vinegar odor for around 24 hours. If you don’t want to use vinegar, you can use charcoal and do the same thing.  The charcoal will absorb any musty smell from anywhere in the house. Another home product you can use is an onion. All you need to do is slice the onion in half, allow the odor to dissipate in the room and wait for it to do its magic.

Removing Musty Mold and Mildew Odor is Not the Same as Remediation

The abovementioned remedies are only for the removal of the unpleasant odor that may be lurking in your home.  It is not to be considered as any way of mold removal or remediation. When dealing with any kind of mold, you should always wear protective clothing and equipment like gloves and a mask 

To prevent any spores from circulating, you should not scrub vigorously.  There is a proper technique that should be done to seal off infested rooms, and it can only be efficiently done by professionals.  It is best to leave mold removal and remediation to the experts.

What you can do is prevent mold and mildew by running ceiling fans, installing dehumidifiers, and taking care of water intrusion problems as soon as you can.  Don’t be fooled; we were all blessed with an evolved and complex, sensitive smelling sense for a reason. Bad odors may be warnings. Don’t mask things, right away.  Check where the nasty smell is coming from because if it is a severe mold problem, it is best to attend it while it is still early and remediation may not be as expensive.  Again, I encourage you to check the reason behind a bad smell in your house while it is manageable.

Sometimes, we just want to solve the problem at hand, and we refuse to face any underlying issue.  Mold is a severe problem if you are exposed to its mycotoxins. It can be the very reason why you and your family are getting sicker over time.  If you see mold, you can contact Mold Factor, and we will help you assess your mold problem. We can go through the current state of your room and house and advise you on what the best action to take is.  Let us be your partner in addressing your mold problems.