Control methods, or how to remove the smell of dampness in the house

An unpleasant musty smell is a signal that there is a source of dampness in the house that needs to be eliminated urgently. After all, the smell of dampness does not just disturb the comfortable living in the house.

They multiply very quickly in damp conditions mold and fungus, causing great harm to human health. We will tell you in this article how to remove the smell of dampness in your home.

Causes of unpleasant odor in the apartment

The main reason for the smell of dampness in the house is high humidity, which can be caused by the following factors:

1. Clogged ventilation ducts, lack of fresh air flow. It is especially important to monitor ventilation in the bathroom, where sudden temperature changes and hot water vapor provoke the appearance of condensation on the walls.
2. Lack of waterproofing of the roof and foundation, freezing of insufficiently insulated building walls. As a result, warm air in the room, coming into contact with cold walls, drops condensation, which leads to increased humidity and an unpleasant smell of dampness.
3. Flooding. It doesn’t matter whether the flood in the house was the result of leaking sewer or water pipes, or whether the apartment was flooded by neighbors, it is important to eliminate traces of flooding as quickly as possible so that they do not cause an unpleasant damp smell.

Also, the reasons for the appearance of a musty smell in the house can be:

• drying wet laundry in the room,
• constantly dripping faucets,
• a huge number of flowers in flowerpots (frequent watering provokes increased humidity in the room).

What to do first?

The first thing to do if there is a damp smell in the house is thoroughly ventilate all rooms. In the autumn-winter period - warm up the air in the rooms (add heating devices).

Only by eliminating the cause of dampness can you begin to fight its consequences - the musty smell in the house.

How to eliminate it using folk remedies?

Once the cause of the dampness has been eliminated, you can begin to combat the smell of dampness. First of all, they use accessible and safe folk remedies:

1. Baking soda solution (4 teaspoons of soda are dissolved in a liter of warm water). A soft sponge is moistened in the resulting solution and wiped all surfaces in the room (walls, floors, furniture).
2. Salt and activated carbon. The tablets are ground into powder and mixed with salt (proportion 1:1). The resulting mixture is poured into a glass container, which is left on open cabinet shelves, racks, or simply on the table.
3. Pomander - This is the fruit of an orange, lemon or grapefruit decorated with clove seeds. Little spicy stars are simply pricked onto the citrus fruit in a chaotic manner. Pomander not only perfectly neutralizes the smell of dampness, but also decorates the interior of the room. As the citrus fades, it needs to be replaced.
4. Lemon acid. Dissolve 1 tsp in 250 ml of water.citric acid, after which all surfaces in the room are treated with the resulting product.
5. Vinegar. It is ignited through a spray bottle onto the floor, walls and furniture. After thirty minutes, wipe the treated surfaces with a soft damp cloth.

After cleaning (especially with the use of strong-smelling compounds), the room must be thoroughly ventilated.

Special preparations

If folk remedies do not help to completely eliminate the unpleasant smell of dampness, re-treatment is carried out using special antiseptic compounds.

Universal antiseptic Dali

Destroys foci:

• fungus,
• mold,
• moss,
• dampness from any type of surface (brick, plaster, wood, cardboard, ceramic tile).

There is no need to dilute the antiseptic before application. Liquid without color. Economical consumption allows you to treat large areas of affected surfaces. The average cost is 600 rubles. (5 l canister).

Eskaro Biotol Spray

Designed for treating various surfaces in areas of high importance. Biotol spray is effective as a prophylactic agent, as well as as a composition that destroys breeding grounds for mold and moss (sources of damp odors). The average cost is 300 rubles. (500 ml bottle).

Protective composition Belinka

A product that quickly destroys mold and mildew spores and the smell of dampness in the room. Does not contain bleaching components, retains the natural color of treated surfaces.

Before use, the drug is diluted with water. (concentration 1:4). The average cost is 350 rubles. (bottle 1 l).

Before applying any chemical composition, you must carefully study the manufacturer's instructions.

How to remove from various surfaces?

In the process of removing the smell of dampness in the house, it is important to pay attention to what materials the sources of the unpleasant odor are made of. For what type of surfaces is there a special approach to cleaning that allows not only to refresh, but also to maintain their original appearance.

Furniture

In order to permanently get rid of the musty smell of dampness from furniture, you must adhere to the following algorithm of actions:

1. Place several tablets of activated carbon or sachets of silica gel into a closet emptied of clothes. Salt, tea bags or baking soda placed on the shelves will also help to “pull out” unpleasant odors and moisture from the cabinet.
2. Wipe the cabinet walls (on all sides), shelves and crossbars with a rag soaked in a vinegar solution (2 tablespoons per liter of water is enough). After treatment, the cabinet must be left open for several days to allow the slight aroma of vinegar to dissipate.
3. If the furniture has been standing in a damp room for a long time, and airing and mowing solution cannot remove the musty smell, a steam generator will come to the rescue. Hot steam treatment will not only refresh, but also disinfect all surfaces.

Sofas, armchairs

Remove damp smell from upholstered furniture Treating the upholstery with lemon juice or a weak solution of potassium permanganate will help.. It is important to test the effect of the solution on an inconspicuous area of ​​the upholstery before cleaning.

Leather sofas or armchairs are wiped with a sponge soaked in a soap solution with the addition of a small amount of ammonia (for one liter of water you need to take 1 teaspoon of ammonia and 50 ml of liquid soap).

After cleaning, leather upholstery should be wiped with a clean damp cloth., then dry with paper towels.

Clothes and other things

The first thing to do is hang things out for airing. Fresh air and sun rays will do their job and there will be no trace of the smell of dampness.

If ventilation does not help and the musty smell does not completely disappear, you can use the following methods:

• fur and knitwear products wrapped in polyethylene are placed in the freezer for twenty-four hours;
• clothes made from natural fabrics (cotton, linen) are ironed at the highest temperature setting. Additionally, perfumed water is poured into the iron;
• clothes made from expensive silk fabrics and wool products are processed using a steamer;
• white items are treated with a cotton swab dipped in a solution of alcohol and ascorbic acid (2-3 tablets per 100 ml of alcohol are enough).

Carpets

Eliminate unpleasant damp smell from carpeting can be done in several ways:

1. We use baking soda (the powder not only absorbs unpleasant odors, but also moisture).

   The soda is carefully spread over the surface of the carpet in a thin layer and left for at least twelve hours. After using a vacuum cleaner, the soda is collected from the fleecy covering.

2. A weak solution of vinegar will help clean the carpet not only from the smell of dampness, but also from traces of mold.

   Table vinegar is diluted with water (1 tbsp of vinegar is enough for 500 ml of water).The resulting solution is sprayed onto the carpet. After the coating has dried, it is thoroughly cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.

To enhance the cleaning effect, you can add 1 tsp to the vinegar solution. hydrogen peroxide. Before applying any product to the carpet, it should be tested on a small, inconspicuous area.

Neutralizing amber in the bathroom

The smell of dampness in the bathroom is a signal that you need to check the operation of the hood. Perhaps the old fan cannot cope and it is necessary to replace it with a more powerful device.

Then you should fix any leaks, wash the dirty laundry accumulated in the basket, and freshen the shower curtains. After all possible causes of unpleasant odor in the bathroom have been diagnosed and eliminated, all surfaces are wiped with water and borax (a glass of borax is enough for 2.5 liters).

Prevention measures

Forget forever about the smell of dampness in the house possible subject to following recommendations:

1. Rooms must be ventilated at least twice a day. It is especially important to open windows after wet cleaning and in the kitchen while cooking.
2. It is important to monitor the condition of water pipes, sewerage and ventilation in the bathroom. If any problems occur, repairs must be carried out immediately.
3. Do not put wet clothes and shoes in the closet. Wet bath towels should be immediately washed or hung on a heated towel rail.

Adviсe

A few secrets will help you get rid of the smell of dampness in your home as quickly as possible:

• essential oils added to water for washing floors will not only eliminate the smell of dampness, but also fill the room with pleasant aromas;
• By adding a few tablespoons of vinegar to the washing machine along with the washing powder, you can quickly get rid of the unpleasant smell of dampness on your bed linen;
• treating books with tea tree essential oil will help eliminate the unpleasant smell of dampness from paper publications.

The pronounced smell of dampness is the result of damage to surfaces by fungal and mold spores. To prevent pathogenic bacteria from entering the respiratory tract during the cleaning process, the nose and mouth must be protected with a respirator.

You will find a lot of useful and important information about removing various unpleasant odors from objects and surfaces in this section.

Conclusion

Fighting the smell of dampness in the house will not become an unbearable burden if you prevent the appearance of dampness in advance (don’t forget about frequent ventilation) or take the necessary measures in time to eliminate the problem.