What is a good way to get rid of a musty smell in a home?

Question

I have a rental home that gets very musty in the summer. We have a dehumidifier running all the time and have air fresheners and stuff but I feel bad for some of the tenants who complain.

What else can we do to try to reduce the smell?

Answer 1

IF YOU HAVE CARPET THEN PULL IT UP AND SPRINKLE BAKING SODA ALL OVER THE FLOOR.. PUT THE CARPET BACK DOWN ON TOP OF THE SODA .
I HAVE SEEN CARPET MEN DO THIS. IT WORKS FOR ODD SMELLS THAT ARE IN THE FLOOR...(SUCH AS DOG AND CAT URINE)

IF IT IS MOLD IN THE WALLS THEN YOU HAVE TO TEAR OUT THE SHEETROCK AND SPRAY KILZ ON IT ...YOU CAN THEN REPLACE IT WITH SHEETROCK, PANELING OR WAINSCOAT .

KILZ IS GOOD TO USE IN THE BATHROOM ON THE CEILING IF IT TURNS YELLOW OR HAS MOLD. IT WILL KEEP THE MOLD AWAY AND STAY PRETTY AND WHITE.

Answer 2

From the sounds of it, any musty smell means their is poor ventilation in the home and likely a source for the bad smell, you need clean the place out and get some fresh air moving through the place.
Also check under the place and see if it is damp, does it have any plastic between the ground and the underside of the home, again, you need good ventilation to keep things from stinking up and it probably wouldn't hurt to get rid of that five foot pile of unwashed clothing in the bathroom...I think I saw it move!
Like an old inspector friend of mine always said..."more air, more air".

Answer 3

The best thing to do is kill the mold. And if this is a rental home, this can be dangerous to the tenants and they can sue you if they find out.
If it has a basement, you need to mix spray bottles of bleach and water and spray the complete walls and floor of the basement.
Otherwise, if there is no basement, you will most likely have to do the walls of the house and repaint.
Your other option is to get a professional to do it.

Answer 4

Make sure that every thing is clean & do what you can to help air flow.

Do all the windows open & have screens?
Are there exhaust fans?

You can get air freshener machines that kill germs & such.
I have one the sells for about $150.00 We have cats & the basement smells & the machine helps keep the air fresher.

Answer 5

Grandma used to go through the house every morning of the year, no matter the temperature outside and, starting upstairs, open every window she could, make her way downstairs doing the same, then go upstairs and shut them in the same order. No one every complained about mustiness and it improved everyone's mood to be breathing fresh air.

Answer 6

open the window's when you can and try a bowl of white vinegar put it in the room that has the smell my house has the same problem i even crack a window in the winter,glade plug In's are good and scented candles,like Yankee candel shop

Answer 7

Try Lysol, or Oust. Or have a candle going when you have guests.