How do I get rid of the smell of damp?

tazmac25

Hi
My sister has a ground floor flat and it has a bad smell of damp.
Any suggestions on how to get rid of this?

She has stored clothes/boots in plastic boxes under the bed (unworn) and some of them after a few months are completely mouldy
There are no carpets in the house and she has open all the windows she can when she is home.

Any help or suggestions will be great fully received
Thanks
X

Ps hope this is the right place and if it isn't please move it

bluebag

It sounds like there is an ongoing problem with the damp if stuff is going mouldy. Has she spoken to her landlord about it?

tazmac25

bluebag wrote: »

It sounds like there is an ongoing problem with the damp if stuff is going mouldy. Has she spoken to her landlord about it?

It's a council/housing association property and there is someone going round on Thursday but they seem to be unlikely to do anything about it! I think there is a damp problem but it's difficult finding it and then fixing it !!

Thanks x

bluebag

tazmac25 wrote: »

It's a council/housing association property and there is someone going round on Thursday but they seem to be unlikely to do anything about it! I think there is a damp problem but it's difficult finding it and then fixing it !!

Thanks x

Sadly until the source of the problem is found and recitified then anything you do will just mask the smell temporarily.

The best plan in the meantime would be to make sure the flat has adequate heating and ventilation. Open windows, keep the temperature about 21C, don't dry washing on the radiators, keep the lid on pans when cooking, use an extractor fan in the bathroom after showers/baths.

A dehumidifier may help too.

jpscloud

I had this problem when I lived in a ground floor flat - the guy living above me had a dodgy washing machine which flooded regularly and he simply didn't care :mad:

Unfortunately there I couldn't leave windows/door open unless I was in the room. I never solved the problem but dehumidifier/heating/ventilation is probably the only way for your sister to manage it until they find and fix the source of the damp.

TravellingAbuela

My daughter has a study (aka computer room) and shower room converted from the old cellar by the previous owners. She suffered badly with damp down there but bought a dehumidifier and is amazed at the amount of water it collects. I know it hasn't solved the problem but it certainly helps. She has it running constantly but I don't know how heavy the electric usage is.

GreyQueen

I'd second the good advice from the previous posters and agree that the root of the problem needs to be rectified by the landlord.

A small aside; it isnt a good idea to store footwear or textiles (eg clothing) in plastic boxes or bags, anywhere in the home. These things can never be completely dry and need to be able to breathe through something like cardboard shoeboxes or cloth bags. Use plastic and mould is pretty much a certainty unless your home is bone dry.

May I suggest that your sister doesn't keep these things in plastic and doesn't store much under the bed (I keep tinned foods on wire trollies under my own bed but there is plently of airlflow). HTH.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

GreyQueen wrote: »

I'd second the good advice from the previous posters and agree that the root of the problem needs to be rectified by the landlord.

A small aside; it isnt a good idea to store footwear or textiles (eg clothing) in plastic boxes or bags, anywhere in the home. These things can never be completely dry and need to be able to breathe through something like cardboard shoeboxes or cloth bags. Use plastic and mould is pretty much a certainty unless your home is bone dry.

May I suggest that your sister doesn't keep these things in plastic and doesn't store much under the bed (I keep tinned foods on wire trollies under my own bed but there is plently of airlflow). HTH.

Totally agree,I never store fabrics in plastic either.
I always use old pillowcases or sheets as wrapping,stops things going mouldy or discoloured but keeps them clean.
I learned that from helping in a friends bridal shop she'd get girls coming in who'd stored bridal gowns or bridesmaids dresses in the plastic wrapper they came in only to find that they'd gone all discoloured.
Plastic is'nt the friend it pretends to be.
As for the mould it will never go away unless it gets expert help but the dehumidifyer idea would help in the meantime.
Hope your sister finds some help and a solution its terrible to have to live with that kind of problem.

spike7451

I lived in a private rented ground floor flat,right outside the bedroom window was a water drain & the damp was coming up that wall.No amount of cleaning & treating the wall would help & again,the landlord didn't care.Like the OP,a lot of my clothes were ruined by the smell of damp.In the end,I got a letter from my Doctor which I submitted to the local Housing Authority & I got a council flat soon after.
As damp can affect your health (Asthma ect) then I'd suggest the OP goes & sees her doctor,especially if the are young children there as well,& get's a letter requesting a move to a new dwelling & submits that to her housing auth.

tazmac25

Thanks for all your responses I will send the info tommy sister and see how it goes
Cheers
T