How to Get Rid of Damp Mould Smell in your House?

Is your home suffering from a funky, damp, and musty odour? 

Don’t worry, for Star Domestic Cleaners is here to help!

A damp smell needs investigation of its source. Cleaning may help with suitable affected surfaces, but it cannot guarantee that the smell will never return if moisture remains. Read the material care guidance.

Mildew scent is unpleasant, potentially harmful to your health, that of your close ones, especially when moving in a new property with children and family! Also, it’s easy to get used to a musty odour due to air conditioning in a property. 

AC systems can dry the air in a property to cover the smell of mould.

A musty smell is a reason to check for moisture, leaks or visible mould. The smell alone does not identify the cause or measure a health risk. Report recurring damp and investigate the source rather than covering the odour. Read the relevant air quality guidance.

It’s tricky to determine if there are harmful microorganisms that flourish in your home. Therefore, always pay attention to mouldy aromas in any premise of the property.

Without further ado, to answer a frequently asked question, we’ll teach you how!

What’s the Difference Between Mould & Mildew?

Both terms refer to fungi growing in your property and releasing a nasty smell. Here’s what the team of professional cleaners advice on how to differentiate the source of the problem:

• What is Mildew?
  A thin layer of fungi usually appearing on old vegetables, fruits or potted plants in your home.
• What is Mould?
  A concentrated layer of fungi that infiltrates multiple materials. Mould has the ability to invade plants, wooden furniture, drywall, books, shoes, clothes, and various other household items. Mould can lead to expensive property damage and health issues.

How to Determine if Smell is Mouldy or Musty?

The strength of an odour cannot reliably distinguish mould from mildew or identify a health risk. Check the moisture source and visible condition instead.

The team of professional one-off domestic cleaners says: Follow these steps to locate the source:

1. Examine hidden or hard-to-reach places.
2. Notice any unusual spots that may be fungi.
3. Inspect areas with high humidity levels: laundry room, bathroom, cellar, AC system, the back of big pieces of furniture, underneath carpets, rugs, and more.
4. Check every space that doesn’t get enough sunlight and fresh air.
5. Trust your sense of smell to determine which room has a funky odour. If you can feel damp in your entire house, then you might deal with a massive structural problem.

You can easily get familiar with the damp smell and ignore it. But trust us – it’s highly important to find its source and take immediate actions to get rid of it. At worts, if you want to sell an apartment or house, a damp smell could be the cause for inaccurate property valuation and severe financial loss.

Have in mind that mould prefers high humidity and low illumination but can develop in various conditions.

How to Get Rid of the Damp Smell?

Fungi odours are persistant and difficult to remove.

Gather All Items Affected by Damp

Unfortunately, some of your belongings may suffer damage beyond repair.

Check the care labels and extent of damage before treating damp fabrics. Professional cleaning is not always sufficient for a mould-affected carpet, and replacement may need to be considered after assessment.

• DIY: How To Get Dog Smell Out Of Your Carpet Naturally.
• Dirty Drapes: Can I Wash “Dry Clean Only” Curtains?

Books, photos, magazines, and other possessions are hard to recover from mould infestation. Your only option could be to throw all away.

Learn: How To Make Your Home More Comfortable?

Pinpoint the Source of Damp

Your top priority task is to find the origin of the problem. Here’s a list of areas to inspect:

• Pipe system;
• Taps and faucets;
• Showers and bathtubs;
• Window sills;
• Insulation;
• Gutters;
• Areas with a high level of condensation;

People often neglect to check the gutters of a house.

During autumn and winter, gutters can easily get clogged and release an awful smell as organic matter decays. So your gutters need regular inspection and cleaning too!

Have the Following Facts in Mind when Dealing with Damp:

• Plasterboard and drywall bloat because of high humidity and become the ideal host for a fungi infestation.
• Common wooden building materials like MDF & solid wood will deform when exposed to constant moisture.
• Upholstered pieces of furniture along other household fabrics absorb dampness to become a source of awful odours. Carpets, curtains, cushions, and sheets are potential victims of moisture. Often the damage is irreversible.

We advise you to part with all mouldy items, eliminate the source of the damp smell, renovate, and continue your life without dangerous fungi.

How to Get Rid of The Damp Smell & Protect Your Home From Mould For Good:

• Ventilate appropriately, keep extraction working and investigate leaks or damp materials. Use a single suitable labelled product only where surface cleaning is appropriate. Do not apply a homemade concentrated bleach mixture or mix cleaning substances. Read cleaning-product safety advice.

Cleaning can remove surface dirt, but weekly disinfection does not fix the conditions that allow mould to return. Address moisture and any building defect. Read the current damp and mould guidance.

Do not make a DIY mould cleaner from several chemicals.

For a suitable small surface-cleaning task, follow these precautions:

• Use one suitable labelled product. Never combine vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, bleach, boric acid or other cleaning chemicals. Follow the label for protection, ventilation, contact time and removal.

Seek assessment for recurring, extensive or hidden growth. Spraying affected fabric does not establish that the material can be safely restored or that the moisture problem is solved.

How to Remove Mouldy Smells the DIY Way?

• Place charcoal inside a mason jar. Get a regular jar and stuff it with charcoal. Put it next to the damp source overnight. It will absorb the unpleasant smell. Unfortunately, charcoal works only for odour removal. It doesn’t affect moisture levels. Repeat the treatment to for a long-lasting result.
• Heat lemons or just their peels. Boil lemons. Use the fresh aroma to overtake musty odours in your apartment or house. Leave the pot in the problematic room until it cools off. Then fill up a spray bottle and use the liquid as a homemade air freshener.
• Experiment with cat litter. It lasts for a few weeks and its main function by default is to absorb funky smells. 
• Join forces with ground coffee. It also works great for getting rid of a mild damp smell. However, if the stench is unbearable, don’t rely just on coffee. It’s only a short-term solution.

Can Air Purifiers Deal with a Damp Smell?

An air cleaner may remove some airborne particles, but it does not fix a leak, damp building material or the source of mould. Address the moisture problem and affected surfaces. An air purifier should not be presented as a cure for asthma or allergies. Read the relevant air quality guidance.

HEPA describes a type of particle filter; it is not an ultraviolet filter. Check the filter specification, room suitability and maintenance instructions when comparing devices. Read the EPA guide to air cleaners.

Filtration may reduce some airborne particles, but it cannot fix damp material or the source of mould. Avoid devices that deliberately produce ozone. Read about ionisers and ozone.

If your property doesn’t have proper ventilation, you might also need to add fans to your arsenal.

How to Eliminate Musty Odours in Your Room?

For starters, you’ll need the following items:

• The item or surface’s care instructions.
• A single suitable labelled product, if surface cleaning is appropriate.
• Protective equipment specified by that product.
• A plan to investigate the moisture source, rather than a kit of mixed household chemicals. Read cleaning-product safety advice.

Use the following tips to remove mouldy smell in your property:

• Inspect damp fabrics and follow each care label; do not wash every curtain, pillow or blanket with an improvised mixture.
• For suitable small surface tasks, use one permitted product according to its label. Recurring or extensive growth needs assessment.
• Check the finish before treating windowsills or grout, and do not brush contamination into the air.
• For an appliance odour, follow its model’s maintenance instructions. An overnight powder treatment or improvised empty cycle is not a universal repair.
• Address leaks, condensation or other moisture causes; surface cleaning alone cannot prevent recurrence.

Book professional window cleaning for outstanding results.

Final Thoughts on Musty Odours

Hopefully, these tips will help you achieve victory in the battle against the damp smell. And your home will regain its fresh aroma!

Contact us for professional help.

For recurring moisture rather than a one-off smell, read home checks for condensation and mould prevention.