How to get rid of the damp smell in the apartment. Getting rid of the smell of dampness in upholstered furniture

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In rooms with high level humidity mold on the walls and ceiling appears frequently. You can get rid of it, but it is far from so simple, since it is necessary to solve the problem of excess moisture. If mold has started, then you should start getting rid of it, and this process cannot be delayed, as it destroys materials, penetrates deep into walls and ceilings, affects furniture and things.

In rooms with high humidity, mold is an inevitable guest. It strikes walls, ceiling, furniture and highlights bad smell.

Its spores are released into the air, and this is already dangerous to health. Does not deliver comfort and the unpleasant smell of mold, which literally permeates everything around. To get rid of this smell, it is necessary not only to use air fresheners, but also to remove the very cause of its occurrence - mold. Otherwise, all the measures taken will be temporary and useless. How to remove the smell of mold and get rid of the fungus most reliably?

How to get rid of mold and its smell?

At any hint of mold, this area must be treated with an antiseptic.

Getting rid of the unpleasant smell of mold is not so easy if you do not start working to combat the fungus itself. It is important to immediately detect all foci of spore formation, take measures to eliminate them, and only then begin work to combat odor. Can be used various methods and funds, ordinary air fresheners will help temporarily. If the affected area gradually increases in size, then you need to act quickly. You can use special primers, ordinary bleach and such a simple remedy as baking soda.

A special primer helps against mold, it is necessary to treat the surface with a solution. The antiseptic agent perfectly kills the fungus, completely removes the unpleasant smell of mold that impregnates things. The primer also guarantees that mold will not appear in the future. The primer is sold in ready-made form, it is enough to apply it to the surface, but according to the instructions. If the fungus has not deeply affected the materials, then additional work no longer required. If the materials are affected, it is necessary to first remove all the foci, and only then begin processing.. If the surface is wooden, stains of the fungus are found on it and the wood has begun to rot, then it is better to replace this area.

Many people mistakenly believe that home remedies and methods won't get rid of mold odor, but this is far from the case. Substances as simple and present in everyone's home as clothes bleach can quickly get rid of fungus stains on almost any surface. Their level of effectiveness may be lower than that of special primers, but getting rid of a small stain and "aroma" can be quickly and easily.

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Is bleach suitable?

Wear a mask and gloves when removing mildew with bleach.

Bleach is suitable for any surface, since the active ingredient in its composition is sodium hypochlorite. It quickly kills spores, mold smell. You can clean any surface: tiles in the bathroom, walls in the kitchen and rooms, glass and much more. But while working with bleach, one must remember that this substance emits toxic fumes, it strongly corrodes the skin. Therefore, it is recommended to use protective gloves, work only in a mask. The room after treatment is ventilated. For the work itself, a mixture is used, which includes 10 parts of ordinary water and 1 part of bleach. The smell of mold is good and the fungus itself removes table vinegar. This is an acid that is used in diluted form for cooking. She is safe, does not possess toxic effect, but the fungus kills quickly and ensures its absence for a long time.

In order to find the affected area, determine how deeply the fungus has already penetrated. If it is on the surface, then you need to apply vinegar to the stain with a rag or spray, leave for 1 hour. After an hour, the surface is abundantly washed with plain water, it is recommended to ventilate the room. If there is a need for prevention, the fungus periodically appears on the walls, then you can spray vinegar once a week. Soon the smell will disappear without a trace, the spots of the fungus themselves will no longer be present on the walls or ceiling.

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How will hydrogen peroxide and ammonia help?

Hydrogen peroxide works well for mildew smells.

To remove the smell of mold and the fungus itself, you can use hydrogen peroxide. This tool has numerous positive properties, it has an antiseptic effect, perfectly fights fungi. The mold is removed quickly and easily, the surface is disinfected.

For work, you can buy a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide at any pharmacy, its cost is small, but the effect will be amazing. The solution is not caustic, it does not emit toxic fumes when used. You can use the solution for any surface, but it has a whitening effect. Suffice it to recall that it is used for dyeing hair. For fabrics and painted surfaces, it is for this reason that it must be used with extreme caution. The smell goes away quickly, the fungus also disappears if it has not penetrated too deeply. Usually it is enough to clean the surface afterwards, no additional work may be required.

Ammonia completely kills the fungus and with it an unpleasant odor.

To completely remove mold, its spores and unpleasant odors, you can also use ammonia. It easily and quickly destroys all traces of the fungus, which then does not appear on the surface for a long time. The unpleasant “aroma” that accompanies the invasion of the fungus quickly disappears. You can use ammonia for surfaces that do not have a porous structure. It is suitable for glass, tiles, stone. For porous materials, it will no longer be so effective. The process of removing traces of mold is simple, it consists of the following:

1. Ammonia must be mixed with ordinary water, the proportions are taken equal.
2. It is necessary to carefully spray the resulting product on the affected area, leave for 2 hours.
3. After about 2-3 hours, rinse the surface with water, the fungus will disappear completely.

During operation, it is important to ensure that ammonia does not cause harm to health, as its smell causes headache, can cause severe sore throat. Do not mix ammonia and bleach, as the effect can be significant, but dangerous. During mixing, it is released toxic gas which is hazardous to human health.

A musty, heavy, unhealthy smell is familiar to everyone. It smells like that in the dark damp basements and cellars, but such a “flavor” is categorically not suitable for living quarters. At the same time, it poses a serious danger. The unpleasant smell of dampness is almost one hundred percent indicator of fungi that have bred on the walls, which spread harmful spores. They pose a serious danger to all residents and guests, causing severe forms of allergies, skin diseases, asthma and other respiratory diseases. How to deal with such odors in the apartment, read on.

How to eliminate the cause of the damp smell:

• get rid of high humidity: insulate the floor of the apartment or the ceiling of the basement;
• take off flooring, dry the floor;
• treat the screed with an antifungal agent;
• process the floor liquid waterproofing: first coat the corners around the perimeter, and then stick a protective latex tape. Using a brush or roller, cover the entire floor with liquid sealant.

If the reason lies in the wrong heating system, redevelopment should be done - install additional radiators along the weeping wall. Underfloor heating ideally fights the problem, which evenly heats the air.

If the smell of dampness appeared after flooding, but there is no fungus yet, dry the apartment or house thoroughly. Use everything available funds: fan heaters, heaters, dehumidifiers. Otherwise, you will find yourself in a difficult situation: because of the fungus, the smell of dampness will settle in closets and behind furniture for a long time, gradually filling the entire apartment.

If the house is already saturated with basement mustiness, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the source using the methods suggested above. But in addition to the walls, floor and ceiling, in damp housing the fungus is already infected most of of things. What to do:

• Examine the furniture

On the rear walls cabinets, behind sofas and in all adjacent to the walls hard-to-reach places may have a fungus. Damaged elements and upholstery should be replaced if possible. However, you can take the item out into the sun and treat it with an antifungal agent several times, including drawers and shelves.

• Examine clothes and all textile items

The down jacket and jacket will have to be washed several times, and the fur coat should be taken to the dry cleaners. If the fabrics have not just a smell, but traces of a fungus, feel free to throw them away, they can no longer be saved.

• Take a close look at the library

Books are breeding grounds for bacteria and fungal spores. Therefore, a bookcase that is not dry enough can cause a musty smell.

Means against the smell of dampness

Antifungal agents will also help get rid of the smell of dampness:

• potassium permanganate solution;
• acetic solution;
• diluted chlorine bleach;
• industrial antifungal agents.

They need to wipe all surfaces in the house, especially dark corners and hard-to-reach places.

The smell of dampness, as a rule, is found in poorly heated rooms. That is, in those places where dampness feel at ease. Often these odors are more common in basements or old private houses, but you can also encounter the smell of dampness in apartment buildings. The smell of damp maybe not only from furniture or walls, but also from our clothes, which hung for some time in the closet and absorbed some moisture.

Once you discovered in own house, try to fight it, because leaving these aromas in your own house for a long time, you can end up with mold on things, walls and other objects. Before you start to deal with the smell of dampness, you need to find the reason from which it appears. All gaps in walls, floors, windows or even the roof should be closed, for example with polyurethane foam. If you are unable to do this yourself, then involve the appropriate utilities. Dampness can exude pipes cold water where condensation appears.

Windows on winter period be sure to insulate in all ways known to you. If you haven't done a renovation for a long time, try to at least replace the wallpaper, as wet wallpaper can give off a very strong smell of dampness and cause mold to appear on the walls. Use aromatic products to completely kill the unpleasant smell of dampness. Sort through all your belongings carefully. If you have not worn some things for more than one year, you can safely throw them away. Air the rest of your clothes outside. If, even after airing, some items of your wardrobe still exude the smell of dampness, then be sure to wash them in washing machine using a fragrant washing powder or gel. If certain clothes cannot be washed, treat them with a steam generator. If you don't have a steam generator, take your clothes to the dry cleaners.

Before putting your things in the closet and on the shelves, wipe them with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then dry them thoroughly. In order to prevent the smell of dampness from appearing in things, you can lay them in special linen bags with fragrant herbs. Furniture can also be treated with a steam generator. If the smell of dampness comes from carpets and paths, be sure to dry them in the sun, having also previously treated them with a steam generator. Airing the apartment in dry sunny weather will also help get rid of excess moisture. During any work related to water, also try to open windows for ventilation.

Causes of Bad Smell

To completely get rid of annoying odors, you must first find their source. The reason for the appearance of dampness in a house or apartment is an excess of humidity, which provides an ideal environment for the appearance of all kinds of fungi.

The following signs indicate high humidity:

• things become damp, do not dry out for a long time;
• After a night there is condensation on the windows.

If you dry the room in time, the fungi will not have time to spread and an unpleasant smell will not appear. If the mold has managed to hit the walls or floors, you need to purchase special tools to destroy it. To eliminate the smell of mold, you should find pockets of the fungus and treat the surface.

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Causes of mold:

1. Lack of proper waterproofing in the house. This is possible with the unscrupulous work of builders.
2. Emaciation of the ceiling and walls. In this case, rain or snow floods the room.
3. The negligence of the neighbors on the floor above when the bathroom is flooded with water.
4. Old leaking water pipes or their breakdown.
5. Drying things in the room. To avoid the problem, you should get rid of the habit of drying clothes after washing in unventilated areas.

Only after the complete destruction of the mold in the house, you can proceed to a.

For reference! The norm of humidity in a residential area is 30-60%.

Damp control options

When the cause of the appearance of excessive dampness has been clarified, it is worth taking up the elimination of the problem. Different steps will be required depending on the source.

Damp smell from clothes

To remove the unpleasant smell of mold from clothes, you first need to ventilate it. In winter, this is easy to do by taking clothes out onto the balcony. Under influence low temperatures the fungus will die.

If the weather is warm outside, things should still be hung outside. Next, you need to clean your clothes. Normal washing may not be enough, so you can use a vinegar solution. It is necessary to soak things for half an hour: for 5 liters of water - 100 ml of vinegar (9%). Then wash with the addition of a large amount of powder and a rinse with a strong aroma.

After that, things must be dried in the fresh air, and after complete drying - ironed. Then things will delight for a long time with their fragrance, and not mustiness.

For reference! Vinegar successfully replaced baking soda- 3-5 tablespoons per bucket of water.

What to do with moisture in the closet

If the smell of dampness remains in the apartment, you need to examine wooden surfaces such as wardrobes. If a center of fungal growth is found on the shelves, then they must be removed immediately so that the mold does not spoil the furniture. It is required to remove all things, and then dry the tree. You can use a fan heater.

After getting rid of excess moisture, you need to treat the surface with a solution of vinegar or manganese. After the procedure, you need to leave the cabinet open for several days to dry completely. This will help to remove the smell of dampness for a long time.

How to get dampness out of a room

It is possible to completely get rid of the smell of mold in your apartment only after the destruction of the fungus. To do this, pay attention to the walls and corners in living rooms. This will help remove the odor. following algorithm actions:

1. Open windows and ventilate the room.
2. Put on a gauze bandage and rubber gloves.
3. Wet the foci of the development of the fungus with water.
4. Process places by special means, or a homemade solution of manganese or vinegar.

In case of extensive infection, wallpaper should be replaced, walls should be disinfected. You can not lose sight of the ceiling, it is also worth washing and changing the coating or whitewashing.

It is necessary to process all skirting boards, and, if necessary, replace. This is a place hidden from view, in which dampness is most often preserved.

To prevent the problem from reappearing, you can leave a glass of activated charcoal or salt in the room.

Mold in the bathroom

The smell of mold in the apartment most often appears as a result of the spread of bending from the bathroom to other rooms. It is difficult to notice the fungus here, since the humidity in this room is always high.

What you need to pay attention to:

1. With poor ventilation, humidity will remain in the room, creating favorable conditions for the development of fungi.
2. Drying should be hot, and things should be squeezed as much as possible.
3. The seams between the tiles of the tile must be treated with means for.
4. For good ventilation of the bathroom, leave the door open more often.

If the apartment is located on the ground floor, then the smell of dampness can come from basement. Needs to be inspected ground floor and make repairs if necessary.

How to prevent the smell of dampness and mold

When the apartment smells good and the fungus is defeated, it is worth thinking about prevention.

Interesting! To make the apartment always smell of freshness, you can use citrus peels, whether it's an orange or a tangerine. For the full effect, you need to stick a few sprigs of cloves into the peel.

To prevent mold from growing again, you need to follow simple recommendations:

1. Ventilate the apartment more often.
2. Use aroma candles or other incense.
3. Remove damp items from unventilated rooms.

After removing sources of unpleasant odors, it is important not to forget to carry out prevention - and then only pleasant aromas will soar in the apartment.

An unpleasant phenomenon for every inhabitant of the house is the feeling and smell of dampness and mold in the family hearth. Despite the fact that the smell itself is not the most a big problem. The problem is the cause of these effects. After all, from high humidity in the rooms, on the walls and ceiling, mold appears, but it is the greatest danger in the house. Fungi that have settled in the same room with you cause discomfort in living, and are also harmful to your health. Mold causes various allergies, and when inhaled, it harms your lungs, causes asthma and skin diseases, and causes many other problems.

Therefore, if you see a suspicion of increased dampness and the first signs of mold in your house, we recommend that you do not delay, but become interested in the question: how to get rid of the smell of dampness in the house, and take this issue seriously. So that later you do not regret your negligence, when you have to not only remove rottenness from the house, but treat your body and loved ones.

Eliminate the causes of dampness

Before you decide how to get rid of the smell of dampness in the apartment, you need to figure out the cause. Dampness in the house can appear for various reasons. The source can be both inside the house and outside. Will have to look for:

Dampness from the basement

Let's say you live in a house on the first floor, and there is a basement below you, with old pipes that are long overdue for replacement. The humidity from the pipes is so strong that it’s not worth even dreaming of a dry basement, and when the floor in the room is above the basement, and from old age it also stopped holding back all the evil spirits that enter the room, then from wet walls and the ceiling will be difficult for you to protect yourself.

Dampness from the roof

If you live in an apartment on last floor, then the problem of humidity may come to you from above. Above, that is, from the roof. Perhaps there are flaws in the covering of the house: holes, cracks, imperfections. In this case, every rain, snow, downpour is brought to your home a large number of humidity, and if the water dries quickly on the street, then in the house it will sour for a long time, go out and give its results. In your case, it will start from the ceiling, and will gradually move to the walls.

Water pipes and ventilation

Water pipes can also cause a strong smell of moisture and rottenness in rooms. To determine if this is the cause, you will have to carefully check that the pipes are well insulated and that condensation does not form on them.
Ventilation can also create the same effect. If the ventilation does not cope with its task, then the steam from the bathroom and kitchen goes into the room, cools down and settles on the walls. As a result, the walls are wet and remaining in this state, covered with mold and fungus.

After flooding

And the most common problem of excessive humidity and the spread of the smell of rottenness is the flooding of the room. Perhaps it was your neighbors from above who decided to make you a flood, or perhaps nature itself played a bad joke on you, or just a pipe broke in the wall and most of the water that was supposed to benefit you soaks your wall, bringing the smell of dampness in the apartment and causing a lot losses.

Removing damp smell from rooms

If you figured out the cause of rottenness, now it's time for us to move on to the main question: how to eliminate the smell? To do this, you will have to be patient and tune in to active work. Removing the smell that mold carries is not as easy and fast as it might seem at first glance. The first step in removing the odor is to dry the room. As long as the wall in the room is wet, no matter what means you use, the problem will remain a problem. To remove the damp smell, turn on additional heaters, preference should be given to fan heaters, when the air is still moving, the wall will dry faster. If the plaster gets wet, unfortunately, you will have to do a major overhaul.

If a fungus has settled in your room due to humidity, you urgently need to take all sanitary measures to cure your home. To get rid of the fungus, use simple but effective means: Bleach, ammonia, baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or chemicals, such as: "Anti-fungus", "Anti-mold", etc.

How to remove the feeling of dampness left after the flood?

If after the flood you still have to make repairs, then first dry the repair area well, remove the mold and use a primer with antibacterial additives.

If the flooding was not severe, install a dehumidifier or heater, buy an odor absorber from the store, in most cases this is an aerosol spray. Check for mold under wallpaper, carpet, linoleum, or anywhere else. Additionally, we recommend drying upholstered furniture, rugs, shoes and clothes.

More fresh air

At this point, we want to recommend you the most powerful of the assistants to the disinfector, this is - Fresh air. A lot of fresh air brings dryness with it, helps to remove rancidity and perfectly fights moisture. But only fresh air will not be able to completely overcome your problem, it is only a great helper, but not the main remedy. Therefore, we will continue to study the main question that interests us: how to remove the smell of dampness in the house.

Folk remedies

Let's talk about how to remove the grave smell from the house with folk methods. What to do if he appeared? TO folk methods include all food and household products that housewives use almost every day. In most cases, these are the same products that are used in other cases when it comes to bad smells that you would like to smell good.

Not a bad tool that absorbs moisture can be considered a combination of coal and salt. Recipe 2-3 packs of activated charcoal mixed with 100 grams table salt. Charcoal can be ground to powder to make it aesthetically pleasing beautiful view. Also, the coal may not necessarily be activated, but the usual one, which is prepared for the barbecue, is also suitable. The above mix can be placed in a beautiful vase or glass and used as a decorative element, and chemical elements meanwhile they will do their job. The contents of the glass should be changed once a week.

You can also use a tool called pomanders. This is a combination of oranges and cloves. Instead of an orange, you can also take a lemon or grapefruit, stick cloves into the peel and you're done. Such "decoration" of the room can fulfill its purpose within 2 months. And with the help of such insignificant means, we get rid of unnecessary odors.

Fighting the smell of dampness in wardrobes, clothes and shoes

You may have to deal with dampness in the closet for 2-3 days. To begin with, you must empty the closet of everything that is in it, wash your entire wardrobe and take it out in the sun to dry. Thick clothes should dry at least 2-3 days, and thin clothes can last even a day. Shoes also need to be washed with strong detergents to finally clean it of fungal spores that could get inside.

While the clothes are drying, you thoroughly rinse the closet, preferably with disinfectant solution which has anti-mold action. After washing, we take out all the shelves and drawers that you are able to take out in the sun, and the cabinet itself needs to be perfectly dried. As a recommendation, a heat fan or an electric battery, but be careful with the battery, do not leave it overnight, so as not to cause a fire. When everything is washed and perfectly dry, you can put things back. For prevention, do not forget to put furniture fragrances, or bags of fragrant herbs, they remove all the remaining odors that did not succumb to washing and cleaning.

There is no smell of dampness in upholstered furniture!

Very often, it is upholstered furniture that is most difficult for us to refresh, because they have foam rubber in them, which perfectly retains the smell, and

he doesn't care if he likes it or not. Therefore, to remove all sorts of unpleasant odors, you will have to work hard. The best option drying sofas and armchairs is to dry them in direct sunlight. The sun's rays and dry from moisture and ultraviolet are simultaneously disinfected to remove various infections or fungi that could settle in the sofa. How additional remedy after drying, you can try green tea or ground coffee. This product just sprinkle it on the surface of the upholstery for 10-12 hours, and they will not only absorb an unpleasant smell, but also give off their own, pleasant one that will delight your sense of smell every time you sit down for a long time.

Prevention

Prophylactic agents overlap very closely with disinfectants. After all, they all have a similar effect for our need. Prophylactically, it is always worth disinfecting, and then using products that dry. And in general, the smell of dampness is best removed by heating, drying and heating. For residents of apartments, we can recommend the installation of an air conditioner for the home. It will automatically maintain a stable level of both humidity and air temperature. You can also use natural folk remedies that we covered in the article above: pieces of black bread, citrus fruits and cloves, salt and Activated carbon, and many other resources.