Place a small cup filled with borax or baking soda in each drawer and close the drawers. Let the borax or baking soda absorb the odors for a few days if possible. I've also placed dryer sheets in each drawer for a few days. Dryer sheets work best if the smell is tolerable and not overwhelming.
Bacteria and germs can permeate wood which causes the awful “old-smell”. To eliminate the smell, kill the bacteria and germs by cleaning the inside of the drawers and all surfaces with a sponge dampened with vinegar, Murphy's Oil Wood Soap, hydrogen peroxide, or any anti-fungal detergents.
Moisture often finds its way into the drawer, usually by means of damp clothing, but it may also be the result of spills or humidity. Mold and mildew spores can aggravate respiratory problems such as asthma and even cause irritation to the skin, so it's not a problem to take lightly.
Smelly dresser drawers can be caused by spills, substances transferred from clothing, bacteria, mold, mildew, fungi, insects and rodents. Bacteria and mold or mildew are the most common cause of odors. It's easy to clean, disinfect and deodorize the drawers- stopping your odor problem once and for all.
If you want your drawers to stay odor-free, but don't want to add a perfume scent, keep the scent neutral with baking soda or kitty litter. Open a box of baking soda and place it in the back of the drawer; secure it to the back of the drawer with a piece of tape if you're concerned about spills.
Combine 1 part white vinegar with 4 parts water. Put the solution in a spray bottle, spray it onto the wood, then wipe the spray over the surface with a cloth. Wipe the area with a damp cloth that has only water on it to rinse. Pat the wood dry afterward.
To remove musty smells from old furniture, fill plastic containers with white vinegar; seal, and punch holes in lids. Put one inside each drawer or cabinet overnight to absorb odors. For extreme cases, clean interiors with a vinegar-dampened cloth.
Mildew develops spores that accumulate in dark and damp environments, and even if we aren't able to visibly see them, the smell will give it away. The moisture that triggers musty smells, often find their way into drawers from a damp piece of clothing, a spill, or even from humidity.
Just use a sponge dampened with soapy water and wipe down with a soft cloth. If the wooden drawer is very dirty, you can also wash it with a mixture of soapy water and ammonia. Make sure you always wring out your sponge before cleaning your wooden drawer.
Sprinkle baking soda along the bottom of the drawer. Allow it to sit in the drawer for a couple hours. If there is a bad smell that is lingering inside the drawer, allow the baking soda to sit inside the drawer for several days to help absorb the odor. Use a vacuum cleaner or handheld vacuum to remove the baking soda.