Spray Vinegar
Vinegartips.com suggests taking equal parts of white vinegar and equal parts of water and pouring them into a spray bottle. Use the mixture on your clothing (turn items inside out before using). You can also spray the vinegar solution in your closet to knock out odors.
Damp clothes in dark places many times leads to mold or mildew issues, which causes that musty, sour smell. Be certain your clothes are completely dry before putting them away. Not properly cleaning your garments.
Sometimes the source of a smelly closet is challenging to detect, especially if the culprit is mold or bacteria. But if you don gloves and a protective face mask for a close inspection, you can usually find mold on objects in the closet or on the closet walls or floor.
Stagnant air can cause a build-up of sour odors in your home. In most cases, the solution to preventing and getting rid of these odors lies in your air conditioning. There are many reasons your air conditioner is causing musty odors, including draining problems, a gas leak, or engine issues.
Sour/Tangy Smell of Fermenting Alcohol
Instead of natural scents, some mold species can also produce alcohol-type smells like that of the sour scent of fermenting alcohol. Other times, mold can also smell sweet.
It's often described as musty and earthy, and may even smell like rotting vegetables or plants. You might notice a musty smell, but not be able to see any mold growing. In this case, you should look for areas that might be exposed to water. Mold needs moisture to grow.
Whether it's the clothing you wore to the gym or your work boots, dirty apparel and shoes can cause your closets to smell bad. In fact, Science Daily reported that dried sweat, dead skin cells, dirt, and debris on your unwashed clothing and shoes can cause foul odors, especially in small, poorly ventilated spaces.
The lack of fresh air and ventilation in dark closets can make coats and stored clothes the perfect place for mildew to grow all year long. So, while it's important to freshen clothes that have been in storage to eliminate any bad smells, allowing mildew to hang around for too long can cause health complications, too.
While a buildup of dust and sweat-soaked clothes can contribute to the unpleasant odor, mold or mildew are likely culprits since they both thrive when moisture is trapped in enclosed spaces. To identify the source of this moisture, look for any water leaks around walls and ceilings.
So when you notice a musty or sour smell in your towels or they lose softness and absorbency, Forté recommends adding one cup of distilled white vinegar during the final rinse (for a standard top-load washer that fills with water) to remove the odor.
Mold and mildew smell stale and pungent, similar to the smell of rotting wood. It's most common smelled in either places where mold spores can colonize undisturbed like basements and closets, or in places where there is plenty of moisture like bathrooms.
Vinegar: Combine half water and half vinegar into a spray bottle. Shake it up and spritz your musty-smelling clothing with the solution. If you add a few drops of essential oils to the mix that will help eliminate the smell of vinegar. You'll want to let your clothing air out for a bit otherwise.
She has published 4 best-selling books on cleaning. Using baking soda in your closet is one of the best remedies for odors, especially if you want to stop your closet from smelling musty. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which is a weak base that can act as an acid depending on what it comes in contact with.
In essence, you need to place your purifier somewhere convenient without limiting its airflow. Although popping it in the corner or closet may keep it out of the way, this greatly reduces the purifier's efficiency. While allowing it enough space to intake and distribute air freely will reap the best rewards.
Most people describe the smell of mold as musty, stale, and earthy — somewhat similar the odor of wet socks or decaying wood. Although mold smells can vary, here are some of the most common characteristics: Musty and Stale — like old socks or a stuffy attic that hasn't been aired out in months.
Musty smells usually come from the air having a little too much moisture. Over time, this has the same odorous effect as leaving your clothes in a puddle.
The first is to install an exhaust fan, like those found in bathrooms. While this will vent the closet, it will also blow air into the attic and requires moving or adding duct work along with extensive electrical wiring. The other option is to add a two-way vent above the closet doors.
Common symptoms include sneezing, coughing, congestion and eye irritation. It rarely causes serious illness or death but may worsen asthma symptoms. You can't cure a black mold allergy, but a healthcare provider can diagnose it and help treat your symptoms.
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin. Some people, such as those with allergies to molds or with asthma, may have more intense reactions.
Generally speaking, you will be able to detect mold by simply walking around an infested area as the smell is usually noticeable. So, if you smell anything musty, woody, or damp, you are most likely dealing with mold. However, if you are still not sure about the source of the smell, you can try to open a window.
The short answer to this question is yes, mold does have a distinct odor. The best way to describe the scent is “musty” or “earthy.” Some individuals even compare it to the smell of sweaty socks.