Mildew is an annoying problem to deal with anywhere in your house. Then, even after you’ve cleaned everything and gotten rid of the mildew, it tends to leave a lingering odor behind to remind you of its presence. And no matter how much extra cleaning you do, nothing seems to make that smell go away.
Fortunately, you don’t have to live with the musty smell that remains after a mildew clean-up. No matter where the smell is, we have tips for ways to get rid of it and restore everything to its former fresh smell.
1. Musty odors in vintage clothing (h/t Dashfield Vintage)
Mix 1 part vodka and 2 parts water in a spray bottle and shake it up. Lightly spray this combo onto your vintage clothing and let it air dry. If you’re working with heavy fabric, turn the clothing inside out and repeat the process.
Mix 1 part vodka and 2 parts water in a spray bottle and shake it up. Lightly spray this combo onto your vintage clothing and let it air dry. If you’re working with heavy fabric, turn the clothing inside out and repeat the process.
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DASHFIELD VINTAGE
2. Mildew smell in towels (h/t Morning Chores)
Start by washing your towels as you normally would, but add a small amount of bleach. After the washing machine has finished its cycle, wash the towels again in a mixture of hot water, vinegar and baking soda. Finish up by running the towels through a normal washing machine cycle one more time, this time using a small amount of laundry detergent. Let your towels air dry.
Start by washing your towels as you normally would, but add a small amount of bleach. After the washing machine has finished its cycle, wash the towels again in a mixture of hot water, vinegar and baking soda. Finish up by running the towels through a normal washing machine cycle one more time, this time using a small amount of laundry detergent. Let your towels air dry.
MORNING CHORES
3. Mildew smell in the bathroom (h/t essortment)
Sometimes a musty smell lingers in your bathroom even after you’ve cleaned away all traces of mildew. In these cases, fill a bowl (a disposable bowl or Tupperware works best) with vinegar and set it somewhere out of the way, like behind the toilet bowl. As the vinegar slowly evaporates, it will absorb and eliminate any mildew odors. Once the vinegar has all disappeared, all you have to do is get rid of or clean the bowl.
Sometimes a musty smell lingers in your bathroom even after you’ve cleaned away all traces of mildew. In these cases, fill a bowl (a disposable bowl or Tupperware works best) with vinegar and set it somewhere out of the way, like behind the toilet bowl. As the vinegar slowly evaporates, it will absorb and eliminate any mildew odors. Once the vinegar has all disappeared, all you have to do is get rid of or clean the bowl.
4. Musty odors in the refrigerator (h/t WikiHow)
If you’re dealing with the leftover smell of mildew in your refrigerator, fight it with a little vanilla. Put several teaspoons of vanilla extract into a dish and set it somewhere in the fridge where it won’t get spilled. You can leave it there for three weeks to help get rid of those smells. But keep in mind, this won’t work in the freezer, because the vanilla extract will freeze.
If you’re dealing with the leftover smell of mildew in your refrigerator, fight it with a little vanilla. Put several teaspoons of vanilla extract into a dish and set it somewhere in the fridge where it won’t get spilled. You can leave it there for three weeks to help get rid of those smells. But keep in mind, this won’t work in the freezer, because the vanilla extract will freeze.
WIKIHOW
5. Mildew smell in clothes (h/t How to Clean Stuff)
Sometimes you start a load of laundry, but then you get busy and forget to take the clothes out of the washing machine. When you finally get around to it, you notice that everything has a gross odor attached to it. To get rid of this smell, run your clothes through the wash again, this time adding a cup of white vinegar with the water and detergent. Let the machine run through part of the cycle and then stop it and let everything sit and soak for at least an hour. After the soaking is finished, let the machine finish its cycle and then dry the clothes as you normally would.
Sometimes you start a load of laundry, but then you get busy and forget to take the clothes out of the washing machine. When you finally get around to it, you notice that everything has a gross odor attached to it. To get rid of this smell, run your clothes through the wash again, this time adding a cup of white vinegar with the water and detergent. Let the machine run through part of the cycle and then stop it and let everything sit and soak for at least an hour. After the soaking is finished, let the machine finish its cycle and then dry the clothes as you normally would.
HOW TO CLEAN STUFF
6. Mildew smell in the carpet (h/t Love Your Rug)
Sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda over the area of your carpet that smells. Leave it overnight if possible (or at least a few hours if it’s in a high-traffic area of the house). The next day, use a stiff broom to brush off the top layer of baking soda and vacuum up what’s left. If there’s still a little odor left, spray vinegar onto the area, leave it for 15-20 minutes and blot it dry with a cloth. To make sure all of the vinegar is cleaned up, spray the area with clean water, blot with a cloth and let it dry.
Sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda over the area of your carpet that smells. Leave it overnight if possible (or at least a few hours if it’s in a high-traffic area of the house). The next day, use a stiff broom to brush off the top layer of baking soda and vacuum up what’s left. If there’s still a little odor left, spray vinegar onto the area, leave it for 15-20 minutes and blot it dry with a cloth. To make sure all of the vinegar is cleaned up, spray the area with clean water, blot with a cloth and let it dry.
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