
You know that brand-new, citrus-kissed scent that greets you when you walk into the lobby of a luxury hotel? Do you ever wish your own living space could smell like that? You may fantasize about your home having a signature scent that makes it feel like a clean, safe sanctuary, but life (and reality) can sometimes get in the way. Place a fan near the pot of steaming lemon water to circulate the sweet fragrance all around the room. After the lemon water cools, you can bottle it up in a spray bottle and spritz it around as a natural air freshener.
Water Leaks – Outside Seeping In

If you notice mold growing on the walls or wallpaper, it’s best to try and clean it off as soon as you can. Murphy tells me that regular vacuuming and annual deep cleaning are critical to keeping a fresh scent. You may also want to consider having your carpet professionally cleaned.
Fix any water leaks
If the technician notices any mold spores or areas of concern, they can conduct a deep clean and restore your unit to a safe condition. A technician can check for other possible issues with your AC unit and address and fix them before they become significant problems that could compromise the safety of your unit. Dirty air filters can cause a smell similar to dirty socks or even a dead animal. A dirty air filter can lead to water droplets accumulating on the evaporator coils, which freeze as the AC unit’s refrigerant cools the air. A musty smell coming from your air conditioner needs to be resolved quickly.
Buy an air purifier.
Open windows and doors, turn on ceiling and attic fans, or add fans to each room. Starting your HVAC system can also help draw out odors and capture mold spores in the filters. Be sure that the system has clean filters and replace them often to help remove musty smells. It may also be a smart investment to purchase an air purifier if this is an ongoing issue or if anyone in your house struggles with allergies and stronger sensitivity to mold.
Those musty smells must go somewhere, and for stale air to leave, new fresh air must enter. Musty smells are often created by dust and poor ventilation, once you get some fresh air in the house it should remove odors considerably. Open the curtains and blinds so as much fresh air comes in as possible. Open cupboards, cabinets, and drawers to air out these spaces as well.
The biggest myth about dangerous black mould
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. If musty odors are keeping you from using your basement, it’s time for that to change. With a bit of effort, you can eliminate funky smells from your below-grade spaces for good.
Causes of Musty Smell in Air Conditioners
Keep closets, dresser drawers, basements — any place where mildew is likely to grow — as clean as possible. Soil on dirty articles can supply enough food for mildew to start growing when moisture and temperature are right. Greasy films, such as those that form on kitchen walls, also contain many nutrients for mildew-causing molds. Carpets and rugs trap all kinds of bacteria, eventually leading to strange smells if not cleaned regularly.
If your house smells extra musty after a rain, it could be because water is getting into the house and causing mold to grow. Perform regular AC unit maintenance, including changing the air filters regularly. Experts recommend doing a deep clean at least once a year, but you can thoroughly clean your unit before each new season starts. With some care and attention, your AC unit will last for years, ensuring your home remains comfortable and safe.
The Top 13 Best Odor Eliminators For A Fresh-Smelling Home - House Digest
The Top 13 Best Odor Eliminators For A Fresh-Smelling Home.
Posted: Fri, 10 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
With upholstery, you can use the bicarbonate trick (sprinkle, let sit, vacuum up). With mattresses, it's best to use a washable mattress protector or mattress topper, but you can also attempt to clean a mattress. House plants that are getting too much water will eventually succumb to root rot, which, depending on the size of the plant, will impart a smell ranging from musty to full-on mouldy. A sure sign that you're overwatering is water standing in the dish underneath a plant pot or accumulating inside a planter. Another sign is a plant that's losing leaves that seem perfectly healthy, or the leaves are turning yellow.
Our guide will explain common reasons why a bad smell is emitting from your air conditioning system, how to troubleshoot and fix the issue, and when to get professional help. If you’ve ever been in an old attic that hasn’t been cleaned or aired out in a while, you’ve experienced a musty scent. It’s a very distinctive scent that most people immediately recognize. Even if you’re unsure exactly what a musty smell in your house is like, you’ve probably experienced the smell at some point in your life. Your HVAC air filter could be so dirty that it’s blowing musty smells into your home. The general rule of thumb is to change them out every 30 days, more in hotter and colder months, or whenever you notice your HVAC kicking into high gear.
My House Smells Musty: 5 Things You Can Do to Make It Odor-Free - Architectural Digest
My House Smells Musty: 5 Things You Can Do to Make It Odor-Free.
Posted: Tue, 08 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The best way to measure the effectiveness of your musty smell remediation efforts is to test the air quality in your home. Tests can identify contaminants like radon and formaldehyde, particulates like dust and pollen, and even VOCs (volatile organic compounds). All these can be harmful to your health, so if you suspect you have air quality issues, it’s important to act fast.
Another possibility is that the air in the home went stale while you were away. 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. Mold in the AC smells musty, with many homeowners describing it as like old socks, standing water, or garbage. In some extreme cases, mold in the AC might smell rotten, like a dead animal or spoiled hardboiled eggs.
For odor removal, open doors and windows and run ceiling fans or stationary fans as often as you can. You also can try covering carpets or upholstery with baking soda, allowing it to sit overnight and then vacuuming thoroughly. Always open windows and doors for ventilation while painting. You can call a plumber or appliance repair specialist to replace the rod, or give a go yourself.
While air ventilation systems work well to ensure that air is being circulated properly, it also causes some problems. For example, musty smells from another apartment can enter your unit through the vent. Since mold and mildew need moisture to thrive, lessening the humidity level in a home can help keep mildew under control.
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