How do I get rid of musty smell in spare room?

foreversomeday

Hi all,

We have recently had our lodger/housemate move out to make way for the baby, but his room absolutely stinks. It's sort of a musty smell but I don't know what it is because I haven't come across that particular aroma before. It is horrible though and we can't get rid of it.

We have taken the curtains out and put them on the washing line for about a week, the same with the duvet, and have had the upstairs windows and doors all open for a while each day to try and get the air circulating, and tried febreeze and hoovering with some essential oil on a cotton ball in the hoover. Nothing seems to work though. You think it's gone away but the next time you open the door it's back.

We have thought about burning some essential oils in there in an oil burner and perhaps some incense but we can't just keep covering up the smell - it needs to go. The only thing I can think of which is why it isn't leaving is that it might be in the mattress - but it belongs to our landlord so we can't just get rid of it, and it's only a few months old anyway so I wouldn't want to throw it away.

It's a pain as I thought we'd have got rid of the smell by now but I don't even want to put the baby's clothes and things in there as the smell will get into them. Any ideas?

Barneysmom

Have you flipped the mattress, it probably needs turning - you might even find a rancid sock under it :eek: . try standing it up by the window for the day?

tattoed_bum

try sprinkling bicarb on the mattress and leaving for a few day's then hoover off then turn the mattress and do the same to the other side see if that helps

foreversomeday

Thanks for the suggestions, will definitely try the bicarb one first, hadn't thought of that, and then possibly find somewhere to stand it up... we live in a tiny house with far too much furniture you see..!

Barneysmom

We have got too much furniture too.
Put the bicarb on the carpet aswell, or talcum powder, then vac it.
Salt is good for the carpet too, leave it on overnight and vac it, it lifts some of the dirt, not saying your house is dirty but you know what I mean xxx

homeaway

Could you wash the curtains in the washing machine on a low heat? If you know anybody who has a steam cleaner you could steam clean the carpet and the mattress that will get rid of the smell and any dust mites. I would wash the duvet as well if you can. Hope this helps.

blueopal5577

I had this problem due to a period of having damp. Leave an open bowl of white vinegar. It really really does work! I couldnt belive it. If you have radiators on (dont put them on just for it because its gonna cost u £££) I'd put the bowl, over the radiator, so the vinegar goes round more. It doesnt smell of vinegar after an hour or so, but instead just neutralises the bad odours.

Putting tissues or cotton wool with essential oils, behind the radiator, the good smells are spread around the room (and if you do it with old newspaper it insulates the radiator too - good for radiators on external walls) Its the opposite of the teenage idea of putting a prawn behind a radiator to punish ex boyfriends... or was that just me?

For bad smells in the loo, the best neutraliser is a burnt match. (15p vs all the costs and chemicals of air fresheners!) If the smell is particularly stubborn perhaps you could use it in here too. If you havent heard of it, you just light the match, let it burn and then blow the smoke. Theres some chemical reason i cant explain why, but it neutralises odours instead of hiding them. You may have to do it a couple of days in a row if its a particularly stubborn smell.

Anyway, try the vinegar and matches, for 75p its worth a shot. Another thing that is still out there is Shake n vac, it was only 70p at Waitrose so you could probably find it even cheaper. Sprinkle and leave on the matteress for a couple of days.

Obviously airing rooms and so on but im sure youve already tried that.

Let me know how it goes. The vinegar worked for me and due to the damp, the smell had gotten bad!

janb5

[Barneysquote=mom;
Salt is good for the carpet too, leave it on overnight and vac it, it lifts some of the dirt, not saying your house is dirty but you know what I mean xxx[/quote]


I am sorry but I wouldnt recommend salt at all- this isnt a good idea. I wonder if the lodger has stuffed something nasty in the curtain supports which is what I heard of once that someone did as revenge against an ex boyfriend! It sounds as tho` you have to check everything- the smell is obviously coming from somewhere and I know you said there was a lot of furniture which makes it more difficult to isolate and identify.

Good luck!