Does anyone know how to get rid of the musty smell from an antique steamer chest that has been in a basement for many years? There is no appearance of mold, but maybe that is what it is.
It just arrived and I would like to buy a custom piece of glass and have a table top. It will make a great conversation piece. But the unknown culprit from this open trunk has triggered allergic reactions in some, e.g. stuffy sinuses. I will vacuum it and am leaving it empty and opened for a while, but now I'm rethinking where I could put it since I do not want to make anyone sick.
It is such a treasure inherited from the Irish side of my family from Salem, MA (Shea) and is probably from the 1890s to 1910.
By Louise from Houston, TX
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I'd wash it inside and out with a barely damp cloth saturated in vinegar. Then I'd leave it open out in the sun for a week. Next, I'd set a bowl of either baking soda or charcoal in it and bring it inside to see how it does.
I came to this site when trying to freshen and sell a steamer trunk from the '40s. I tried bleach water spray and fresh air. I tried Spic n Span spray and fresh air. I put bowls of fresh ground coffee in all levels and closed it for days. Once the coffee was removed, the musty odor returned. Then I thought of this.....I opened 4 bars of Irish Spring soap and set each bar on top of its box inside the trunk and closed the lid. In 5 days the trunk smelled fresh with the soap removed. I sold the trunk!
Wow I'm so happy i found ur website. I just found a beautiful trunk and it didn't smell at thrift store but when i got it home the oder hit me i have sinus problems and can't bring my beautiful trunk inside. Now i can I'm going to get soap thanks for ur help. Sincerely Linda Smith
I tried every method I found on the internet. None of them worked for me. Then I came up with the idea I stained the wood with oil based stained. I did two coats. Then I did three coats of high gloss oil-based varnish.
They say a bag of charcoal (not saturated with lighting fluid) will remove any smell. Just rip open the bag and leave in the trunk a few days!
I tried it all and within an hour or so, the odor returned. Finally, I placed several opened bars of Irish Spring soap inside (each bar set on top of its own box) and closed the trunk for 5 days.
Spray with lysol and one day in the sun will do it. Then leave the top open inside for a few days or just leave it opened. If you close it, place a bar of soap in it.
Have you tried crumpling up newspaper and leaving it in the trunk for a few days? Or try fresh coffee grounds. Put them in a bowl and leave them for a few days.
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