Tips from experienced housewives on how to remove smells from your clothes closet
A wardrobe is a closed space with insufficient air flow. An excess of aromas, pets, dampness and dust can saturate the atmosphere in it with a heavy smell.
You should get rid of it without delay. Otherwise, you will have to think about buying a new wardrobe and completely changing your wardrobe.
Read the article about how to remove the smell of mold and mustiness in a clothes closet.
Content
Why does an unpleasant musty odor appear?
First of all, it is necessary to find out what caused its appearance. Otherwise, the unpleasant odor can only be masked.
Frequent causes:
- Lack of ventilation.
- High humidity.
- Improper organization of storage.
- Dust mites.
Arachnid parasites of microscopic size appear in hard-to-reach places where there is an accumulation of dust. Ticks are not dangerous to the human body, but their waste products cause unpleasant odors and allergies in households.
How to eliminate it using folk remedies?
Budget funds that every housewife has in her arsenal will help get rid of the heavy aroma.
First you need to treat the surfaces of the cabinet. Any of the following will do:
- table vinegar;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- boric acid.
Mode of application:
- Prepare a solution with water in a ratio of 1:3.
- Wipe down shelves and furniture walls.
- Wait until dry.
It is recommended to carry out processing in a well-ventilated area.
To prevent the recurrence of the odor, it is necessary use available absorbents and flavorings and place them on the shelves:
- pour salt, soda or crushed activated carbon into small containers;
- fill textile bags, preferably made of natural fabric, with ground or bean coffee;
- make a sachet from citrus peels, aromatic herbs, herbs and spices.
It is not recommended to use air fresheners or spray perfume on the contents of the closet. This will have the opposite effect.
Tips for making your closet smell nice - in the video:
Industrial neutralizers and absorbers
Specialized products to combat odors will help housewives deal with the problem faster. Popular Products:
SmelIOFF
A universal odor remover in a convenient spray bottle. Effective on various surfaces.
Can be processed:
- shoes,
- clothes,
- animals,
- furniture,
- carpets and so on.
Does not cause an allergic reaction. The average price is 550-700 rubles per 0.5 liter.
Selena
Budget granular odor absorber, versatile and non-toxic. It is enough to open the hole on the lid of the container and place it in places where heavy air accumulates. The average price is 20-38 rubles per 1 piece.
Emix-O
Emix-O concentrate:
- neutralizes odors,
- disinfects,
- effective in combating animal odors.
It is economically used: a teaspoon is enough for one treatment. The average price is 350-420 rubles per 100. To achieve results, you must carefully study the instructions on the packaging and strictly follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
We act according to the situation
The different nature of the problem requires an individual approach. But measures will be effective only in combination. It is necessary not only to get rid of the cause, but also to eliminate the consequences and prevent them - these are mandatory stages in the fight against foreign odors in the closet.
How to remove in a new cabinet?
Buying new furniture is a joyful event, but the specific smell of the paint and varnish coating and material can be a problem. High-quality products exude a “new” aroma for no more than 2 weeks, but the process can be accelerated.
First of all, the room where the new cabinet is located must be ventilated. Get rid of the smell A simple but effective method will help:
- Open furniture doors wide open.
- Pour baking soda into plastic glasses (no more than half).
- Place them in each compartment.
- Place black tea bags on the shelves.
You can learn how to remove the smell of new furniture Here.
From old wooden
Even old furniture cannot emit an unpleasant odor on its own, so it is necessary to identify the cause of its appearance. The best way is to audit the things in your closet. If you get rid of the old stuff, wash the rest with the addition of aromatic conditioner, the unpleasant smell will disappear.
The closet itself also needs to be refreshed:
- treat shelves and walls with furniture polish;
- ventilate the internal parts until completely dry;
- lay out clean laundry;
- add pieces of fragrant soap to it.
General cleaning should be repeated monthly. For prevention, you can use industrial flavorings.
If the problem has partially gone away, you can sprinkle dry mustard inside the cabinet and close the doors. After 48 hours, the powder will absorb excess aromas and should be removed.
Animal odor
The appearance of uninvited guests in the wardrobe is another “fragrant” problem. If a mouse odor or rodent waste products appear on the shelves, it is necessary to destroy their source and treat the surfaces with a solution of peroxide or acetic acid.
Alternative Homemade Ingredients:
- lemon acid,
- alcohol,
- hydrogen peroxide.
It is not recommended to use products with a strong odor for treatment; the pet will certainly try to kill it by marking the territory again.
From tobacco
Acrid tobacco smoke quickly settles on surfaces and penetrates their structure.
To rid furniture of a specific aroma, you need to empty the shelves and treat with a weak solution of acetic acid.
Another option is to place a damp towel in the closet. After 30 minutes, it must be washed and the procedure repeated. After using a damp cloth, surfaces need to be dried and ventilated.
Smell of dust
To eliminate the smell of dust, it is enough to regularly clean the shelves. To do this you need:
- Empty the wardrobe of its contents.
- Shake items thoroughly and hang for airing.
- Clean the surfaces with a damp cloth and add a weak solution of vinegar or ammonia.
- Thoroughly ventilate and dry the cabinet.
- Return the contents to their place.
Mold
The fungus loves dark, damp places. Increased humidity in the closet can lead to the appearance of characteristic stains on surfaces and clothing. In addition, mold negatively affects the human body. You need to get rid of it at the first symptoms.
Mold is sensitive to aggressive components. Every home will have:
- baking soda;
- vinegar;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- alcohol;
- bleach.
A solution of water with one of the components kills mold spores. To prevent its further occurrence, you need to use an antiseptic, which can be purchased at a hardware or hardware store.
Another effective method is treating the wardrobe with a steam generator.. If the surfaces are severely damaged by fungus, it is better to think about buying a new cabinet.
Recommendations from an experienced housewife - in the video:
Prevention
To prevent an unpleasant odor from settling in the closet where linen, clothes and shoes are stored, rules must be followed:
- Do not place the wardrobe near sources of dampness and strong odors (kitchen, bathroom), in dark, poorly ventilated corners. There should be a gap between the wall and the back of the cabinet for air circulation.
- Take care of things regularly: hang them out for airing on frosty and sunny days, dry them well after washing, do not mix clean and worn clothes.
- Conduct an inspection and general cleaning of shelves monthly. It is advisable to treat the surface with a weak solution of vinegar.
- Do not store shoes next to clothing; items must be cleaned, dried and packed before seasonal storage.
- Do not smoke indoors, do not allow pets to settle in the closet, and do not keep the doors constantly open.
Useful tips
Often, an unpleasant odor on shelves comes from laundry that is not properly cared for. Experienced housewives recommend paying attention to:
- Selection of detergents and conditioners. The variety of aromas has a negative impact on the air in a small enclosed space. It is necessary to give preference to a weakly expressed aroma or household chemicals without it.
- Wash and rinse mode. Poor cleaning or detergent residue on the fabric is harmful to human skin, respiratory tract and air on wardrobe shelves.
- Drying things. Residual moisture on laundry can cause mold and heavy air to form in the place where it is stored. Drying should take place outside or in a well-ventilated area, away from sources of strong odors.
- Clothes storage. Do not overload the closet with unnecessary things; store clean and worn leather goods (shoes, bags, belts) on one shelf in the compartments for bed and underwear.
- Cleaning. Ventilation, inspection and cleaning of shelves should become a habit.
You will find a lot of useful and important information about removing various unpleasant odors from objects and surfaces in this section.
Conclusion
Systematic removal of dust inside furniture and maintaining optimal humidity in the room are mandatory measures to prevent foreign odors in the wardrobe.
Don't blame the age of the furniture for unpleasant odors.. The porous surface material of the cabinets absorbs and stores aromas really well. But they arise due to the fault of housewives who neglect the rules of caring for linen, storing it and do not carry out regular cleaning.