When I walk into our bedroom I am hit almost immediately with a foul musty smell. It is coming from the bed. I change the bedding on a monthly basis. How can I get rid of the smell and where is it coming from? Should I buy new pillows, etc.? Any help will be much appreciated as I am quite ashamed of people coming to our home in case they go in our room and smell it. Its definitely the bed, nowhere else.
Strip down the bed completely and wash everything. Vacuum the matteress and under the bed. Then either spray with Febreze and let air for awhile, or sprinkle with baking soda, let sit for at least an hour, and then vacuum again. Our bodies shed about a gram of skin a day. Dustmites feed on that and they poo about 20 times a day. It is also very important to replace your pillows every few years.
I change our bed at least once a week. Maybe this would help.
It sounds as if you have mildew in your mattress, which is a serious health hazard. You probably should replace the mattress with a new one; then purchase a damp-proof mattress cover which completely covers the new mattress. Change your bedding weekly and make sure your bedroom is amply ventilated. If the area you live in is damp consider a dehumidifier.
Take everything you can out to the yard on a sunny day and leave it in the sun for as long as you can. The ultraviolet light in the sunlight will kill the bacteria that is causing the smell.
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I use the space under my ottoman bed to store bedding and clothes. They go in fresh and smelling nice, but come out smelling musty! How can I stop that?
Nok-Out is an excellent product that removes objectionable smells. You can get it on Amazon.
Fill jars with vinegar and water poke holes in the jar.Set them where you put your have ottoman storage.
Have you tried the vacuum sealed bags? That is what I use, you can fit a lot of things in one bag and since their is no air in them they do not smell musty when you are ready to use the stuff again. I have gotten some cheaper bags that left my clothes smelling like the plastic before but usually the stuff comes out smelling like it did when it was put in.
Hey, there. A musty odor indicates some moisture has gotten into your things, so the best course of action you can take is to prevent your stored items from getting musty in the first place. There are a number of ways you can do this. A cheap way is to save those little silica packs you get in packaged items that suck up moisture. Those are called "dessicants," and they're often found in boxes when you buy shoes. But not everyone saves them. So, what to do?
First, and foremost, is to make sure your items are bone dry before you store them. Any bit of moisture can cause mold to grow, which causes that musty smell. You can actually make your own little packets by purchasing dessicants in the form of silica beads and sewing pouches that measure about 3"x3" and put them in with the items you're storing.
You can also store baking soda with your things to absorb moisture and prevent odors. If you don't want to (or don't have room to) store a full box of baking soda, again, you can sew little cotton pouches and put a few tablespoons of baking soda in them.
Odor absorbing charcoal is another good way to absorb odors. When I had multiple cats, I used a charcoal filter on the litter box and it really helped keep the odors at bay.
Your goal is to prevent your clothes from becoming musty, dusty, and moldy, so make sure to seal the bag you're storing them well. I've never had much luck with vacuum sealed bags, but it's always worth a shot.
Hope this helps.
Somehow, moisture is getting into your storage unit and that is what is causing the musty smell.
Can anyone provide a remedy to get rid of a musty, mildew smell on an old bed?
By Maddy
Are you able to air it out in the sunshine? Or open the windows to a room and leave it open? That should help. I have a Little Green Machine and I have steam cleaned my spare bed when grandkids had an accident before I got the the mattress cover with a vinegar and water solution.