The aroma of a home plays a pivotal role in creating a welcoming environment that positively impacts mental well-being. A constant or lingering musty smell in your house can be unpleasant and negatively affect your home's atmosphere, leaving you feeling uncomfortable in your own space.
Why Does Your Home Smell Musty?
The best place to start when combatting a musty odour in your home is to identify the source of the smell.
A general unpleasant odour indoors can be caused by a variety of different things, such as:
Pets
Dirty furniture or linens
Bins
Clogged drains
But a musty odour is specifically deep and earthy, and its most common cause is dampness, mould and mildew. These spores emit gases as they grow, causing an undesirable aroma in your home. Damp and mould are not only unpleasant for your nose. They can also harm your health, especially for those allergic to or sensitive to mould.
Before trying the natural musty odour solutions we have laid out below, be sure to identify if there are any areas in your home where mould or dampness is growing.
Common causes and culprits for dampness, mould and mildew:
Inadequately ventilated areas: When a room is not sufficiently ventilated it can create a humid environment. Excess moisture in the air can't escape, therefore it collects on surfaces (often walls and ceilings). This provides an ideal environment for mould spores to grow and spread.
Shower curtains: If your shower curtain is unable to dry fully mildew can begin to grow on it, which contributes to musty odours in your bathroom.
Around windows: Mould tends to grow around windows due to condensation buildup. When warm indoor air meets cold window surfaces, moisture accumulates, creating an ideal environment for mould spores to thrive, especially in poorly ventilated or damp areas.
Hidden water damage: Hidden water damage, like leaks behind walls or under floors, fosters moisture accumulation. This unseen dampness becomes a breeding ground for mould, leading to its growth. If you can't find any other obvious reason for the musty smell in your home, a call to your plumber might be in order.
How to Prevent Musty Smells Caused by Damp
The key to preventing dampness is moisture control. During the cold months and in poorly ventilated rooms, it can be more difficult to keep dampness at bay, therefore, it is important to have strategies in place which prevent mould:
Reduce humidity: Mould formation is common in humid environments. To reduce the humidity levels in your home, open windows and vents regularly or use a dehumidifier to collect excess moisture. It's also a good idea to manage humidity levels at certain times, such as opening the window when you're cooking or after a shower to let out excess moisture.
Keep your home warm: Maintaining warmth in your home prevents condensation by raising the temperature of surfaces, reducing moisture in the air, thereby preventing dampness and mould formation.
How to Eliminate Musty Odours Naturally
Once you've gotten to the root cause of the musty odour in your home, it's time to freshen up your space to eliminate any lingering smells that may be left behind.
If you're concerned about the harmful chemicals that are commonly found in generic air fresheners, you'll be glad to know that the solutions we've provided in this article are all-natural. By using these alternatives, you can rest assured that your home is safe and free from toxins.
So let's dive into the best ways to eliminate musty odours and keep your home smelling fresh!
1: DIY Air Fresheners/Deodorisers
If you want your home to stay smelling as fresh as a daisy, trying to just cover unpleasant smells with pleasant ones may not work.
If you have a stubborn musty smell in your home, you might consider trying a DIY air freshener. These use ingredients that absorb or neutralise unpleasant odours, rather than just masking them, such as:
Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda): Baking soda has absorption properties that allow it to trap odorous molecules in porous spaces like carpets, upholstery, and closets. It can also eliminate musty smells by absorbing moisture. You can sprinkle baking soda on carpets, rugs, or upholstery to absorb smells (vacuum any remaining powder afterwards if necessary).
White Vinegar: White vinegar has deodorizing and disinfecting properties due and eliminate odour-causing bacteria, and neutralise unpleasant smells. You can simply place a bowl of vinegar out overnight and it will absorb lingering odours in the air.
Lemon: Lemons have citric acid that acts as a powerful deodoriser and masks unpleasant odours. They also have antibacterial properties that eliminate odours and leave a refreshing scent. Simmer some lemon slices in a pot of water on the stove for a few hours to help combat nasty smells in your home.
Our recipe for Lemon and Rosemary Homemade Hanging Air Freshener is a completely natural and easy-to-make solution which can neutralise bad smells. All you need is bicarbonate of soda, essential oils, cloth and string.
The bicarbonate of soda acts as a natural odour absorber, while the lemon and rosemary essential oils infuse the air with a delightful scent.
Find the recipe here: Lemon & Rosemary Hanging Air Freshener | DIY Natural Home Deodoriser