How to eliminate damp smell from your house

Want to get rid of that frustrating, offputting musty smell that just always seems to linger?

We don’t blame you, and the good news is that you’ve come to the right people if your home is always smelling musty.

Our experts have put together everything you need to know to eliminate musty smells, and all in a way so that clothes smell good, excess moisture is removed, and that irritating stale smell is a distant memory.

Let’s start the process of stopping your home from smelling musty by understanding the basics.

What causes damp smells?

Damp has the irritating habit of creating musty odours that quickly feel like they are overwhelming your senses. While many will tell you that all you need is to start opening windows, the musty smell tends to have a deeper cause.

Before you can hope to reduce musty odours, you need to look at how to get rid of mould spores and the fundamental causes of damp. While an air freshener can take the edge off, this is a very short-term solution that won’t address the issue of mould growth. Even reaching for a spray bottle rubbing the mould off the walls and other surfaces where it’s growing won’t sort out the root causes.

What you need to do is:

• Improve the ventilation so that fresh air can remove excess moisture levels from your home
• Look to air wet clothing in a well-ventilated space and use a condenser dryer where possible
• Mop up any spillages on your carpets and wipe down spillages on surfaces quickly
• Make sure that the interiors of your cupboards and wardrobe are nice and dry and regularly aired
• Kill off mould spores and fungal colonies once you have addressed the above issues

Before we dive into these steps in more detail, let’s look at how volatile organic compounds like mould can damage your health

Effects of mould on your health

Far more than leaving a musty smell and lingering musty odours, black mould growth has a nasty habit of providing a breeding ground for toxic spores.

Mould spores are airborne, easy to breathe in without realising, and will aggravate and inflame the delicate lining of the lungs.

Before you know it, you may be suffering from chronic breathing issues. This is especially true for young children, elderly people, and those with asthma.

How do you get rid of musty smells fast?

Here at the Federation of Damp, we always recommend you hire a specialist to find mould, kill it, and address the root causes.

While scrubbing the walls and repainting may feel like a quick fix, the mould will soon grow back and then build up even faster.

Hiring a damp specialist will allow you to eliminate the cause of your mould and mildew issues. In the meantime, you could use an air freshener, purchase a dehumidifier, and regularly open your windows to try and reduce the musty smell somewhat.

Let’s take a look at some other specific steps you can take to help reduce the problem.

Stop leaving wet laundry in the washing machine

When wet laundry sits there with no air getting to it, mould growth can start. While it won’t happen in a couple of hours, you need to remember that you’re washing laundry nearly every day.

Using washing machine settings that have an audible notification when the wash cycle is complete will help you stay on top of things and get into good habits.

Don’t put clean laundry away even if it’s slightly damp

Microbial volatile organic compounds, like mould, will love nothing more than a damp jumper or pair of jeans that trap moisture because they have been put away before they are fully dry.

Air dry your latest wash in a well-ventilated room, or do it the old-fashioned way outside, and your house will stay feeling and smelling fresh.

Remember your washing machine needs a deep clean

A good rule of thumb is to empty the filter, wipe down the inside of the drum, and clean out the fabric conditioner department once a month.

While we’ll be the first to admit that these types of issues of jobs build up and then get forgotten, doing them on a set day — perhaps the first of the month — is one of the simple tips that really works.

Wash your clothes at hotter temperatures so they smell better

While colour bleeding may be an issue with some fabrics — check the clothing care symbols for clarity — prolonged periods of warm water followed by suitable air drying will get rid of the damp smell.

You may also want to use a more aggressive laundry detergent and fabric conditioner if you have dirty laundry that has taken in some of the lingering odours from a damp environment.

Create well-ventilated rooms

Poorly ventilated rooms will only make the damp smell stronger and allow the mould to grow faster. The smell will start to fade, however, when you learn how to get rid of stagnant air and replace it with fresh air.

One of our top tips is to install an extractor fan in rooms like the kitchen, bathroom, and utility room where you often have excess moisture in the air. This will help to stop dampness from taking hold and causing your carpets and soft furnishings to develop a horrible mould smell.

The fresh air really will such out the excess moisture that comes from a clothes wash, a hot bath, or even boiling some pasta every evening.

Protecting the living room and dining room

While there will be less moisture in the air in these rooms, ventilation is still key. Your carpets, walls, cupboards, and so much else in there will all start to soak up mould spores as they spread around the house.

Opening a window for at least 15 minutes a day, preferably in the middle of the day, will help boost the natural airflow and improve ventilation.

Deep-clean to remove dust, mould, and mildew

Dust will also contribute to the issue as it can trap the odour and exacerbate the dampness that allows mildew to flourish.

Wiping down the tops of your cupboards and wardrobe, as well as all of those side surfaces will help suppress the odour. We recommend wearing a face mask for this type of work and then changing into clean clothes afterward to reduce the impact the dust and mould will have on your lungs.

Wash damp or sweaty clothes ASAP

When you sweat, your clothes get damp and become a breeding ground for mould and mildew. While you naturally go and wash yourself in the bath or shower, how quickly do you deal with your sweaty clothes?

Most of us are tired after an intense workout or lengthy gardening session and prefer to reach for fresh clothes from the wardrobe and then put our feet up.

While there’s nothing wrong with this, the sooner you wash your sweaty clothes, the sooner you will be helping defeat the musty smell mould produces.

Baking soda really works

Baked baking soda is a natural deodorising agent that helps kill off mould with just a 50-gram serving. Mix it with white vinegar, spray it onto the impacted surface, and then wipe it away once it has had a couple of minutes to work its magic.

While this works great, remember that to beat mould and mildew for good, you’re going to need to address the root causes with a Federation of Damp expert.

We’re right here when you need us, all so you can eliminate that irritating smell and give your home a new lease of life.

How do you get rid of damp smell?

While an expert addresses the root causes of the damp, you can install air fresheners and dehumidifiers and regularly open a window in each room.

What does damp smell like?

It will smell musty, old, and stagnant. Far more than just an unpleasant smell, it actually comes with toxic mould spores that, if not dealt with, can cause chronic breathing issues.

Why can I smell damp but not see it?

Damp is caused by tiny particulates of trapped moisture that serve as a breeding ground for fungal colonies such as black mould and mildew. When the issue becomes severe enough, you will be able to see growth on the walls.