How to get rid of the smell of mold in the apartment: on things, in the closet, washing machine, in the car

The smell of mold can appear under circumstances beyond our control: a prolonged absence in the apartment, rain and high humidity with the heating turned off. And every housewife will make every effort to rid the house of such misfortune.

Causes of fungus in the apartment and house

The source of mold is a microscopic fungus. In the environment, his disputes are everywhere: in the soil, in the air, on any solid objects. With a small concentration, they are invisible. If conditions arise for their rapid growth, then an overgrown colony of fungi can manifest itself in the most negative way:

• black mold on the wall or ceiling;
• unpleasant raid on shoes, clothes, furniture and other items;
• the smell of musty.
  

  In everyday life, black mold is most often found, but it is divided into several types that differ in the degree of danger to humans

The main condition contributing to the acceleration of the development of the colony is high humidity (over 65%). We do not live in the tropics and this weather parameter is never high. But in some places at home constant high humidity is possible:

• bathroom, kitchen with poor ventilation;
• walls, ceiling, windows - any parts of the building where spot freezing is possible, since local supercooling leads to the formation of condensate;
• basement, underground in the absence of ventilation.

With the complete absence of air circulation, even with normal humidity, the appearance of mustiness is possible, that is, the concentration of fungal spores in the air rises so much that we begin to feel it. The most famous situations:

• turned off refrigerator, washing machine, if they have not been used for a long time;
• cabinets that did not open for ventilation for a long time;
• empty house with fully closed window panes.

How to get rid of the smell of mold on things

There are many different ways to remove mold odor. You only need to be able to choose the right one for this household item.

When working with mold, you need to remember that contact with spores of the fungus, inhalation of them can be harmful to health, therefore it is necessary to use protective equipment: rubber gloves, and with large volumes of infection and respiratory the mask.

Clothes deodorization

The most reliable way to get rid of an unpleasant odor is washing, then drying and ironing. But not always these actions are enough to completely destroy the fungus. Therefore, it is better to pre-process things in one of the following ways:

1. Soaking things for half an hour in a solution of baking soda (2 tbsp. l per 1 liter of warm water). With a slight presence of smell, you can simply add 1 tbsp. lsoda detergent for washing machine or for hand washing;
2. Saving in a solution of ammonia (10 ml per 1 liter of cold water), 10 minutes of this procedure is enough. The advantage of this method is that it suits even the thinnest fabrics.
3. Pre-soaking clothes in kefir or yogurt. The duration of this procedure is approximately 10 hours. Processing with dairy products is very effective, in addition to getting rid of the smell, the fabric is slightly bleached.
4. If spots are found on the fabric, a mixture of citric and acetic acid is used. It is used like this:
   • a working solution is prepared by mixing an equal amount of two acids;
   • applied to the stain for about 6 minutes;
   • then the stain is sprinkled with salt;
   • clothes are washed in the usual way.
5. Instead of vinegar, mold spots can also be treated with a three percent solution of hydrogen peroxide:
   • peroxide is mixed with a small amount of water:
   • with a small swab moistened with this liquid, all problem areas are wiped (for dyed fabrics, this method is not recommended, as lightening of the color may occur);
   • then wash.
6. You can wash mold stains with turpentine. It reliably removes the smell of mustiness, but at the same time, the smell of turpentine itself can remain after washing. In this case, the clothes are washed several times.

In addition to folk methods, you can use household tools. Washing with a bleach suitable for your clothes will help to cope with the problem.

If mold is wound up in a pillow, it is better not to risk it, but throw the product away. Synthetic filler should not be washed at high temperatures, and at low temperatures it should not be removed from mold. And it is unlikely that they can kill the fungus inside the feather pillow to the end, even if the feathers are poured out and processed separately. Torment does not guarantee a result.

Video: the best tool for removing mold from clothes, strollers

If it is not possible to wash the dress, you can use dry cleaning methods to discourage the smell:

1. Drying and airing clothes in the sun; with a slight presence of smell this is enough.
2. Soda cleaning:
   • apply a thin layer of this powder to clothes,
   • gently rub into the fabric,
   • to remove soda, shake the dress, and remove the residue with a brush.
3. Using stain remover: e.g. Faberlic oxygen hard pencil (Edelstar).
4. Steaming.

Shoe shine

The solution to this problem depends on the type of shoe. If it is fabric (slippers, Czechs, gym shoes), then you can use methods related to cleaning clothes. For leather and suede boots and shoes, these methods are not suitable.

To get rid of the smell, it is necessary to remove the spores of the fungus from the shoes. Several types of drugs are suitable for this purpose:

• various ready-made antiseptics: Septolite, Sterillium, Eco-breeze;
• antibacterial medications: furatsilina solution, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate solution;
• antifungal agents for the treatment of feet: nizoral, mycospores.

They are applied to the inner and outer surfaces of shoes, and a tampon is used for liquid products. After processing, it is necessary to give a short time for exposure, then the product is cleaned or washed (if possible) and dried in a well-ventilated area. Exposure to sunlight is detrimental to fungal spores, but leather shoes cannot be dried in the sun.

Before processing, it is necessary to check the action of the drug on your shoes, for this it is applied to a small area of ​​the skin and watch the reaction.

From folk methods you can use:

• a solution of table vinegar with water in a ratio of 1: 1;
• soda;
• salt;
• activated carbon (powder).

The procedure for working with these tools is the same:

• apply it to the product;
• shoes should be placed in a plastic bag for a while: for vinegar for 1 hour, when using salt, soda or activated, it is possible for several hours;
• then the shoes are cleaned and dried; in order to remove fine components in a quality manner, you can use a vacuum cleaner.

Essential oils that also have antifungal properties can also be used to prepare the disinfectant solution. Exposure to such substances is more gentle and more suitable for leather shoes. Solutions are prepared in the following concentration:

• 1 tbsp. l tea tree oil per 1 cup of water;
• 1 drop of water 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract.

Video: how to get rid of bad breath in shoes

Removing mold odors from couches and other furniture

Cleaning cabinet furniture is not particularly difficult. You can use household chemicals or use folk remedies. It is enough to wipe the surfaces with a cloth moistened with vinegar, then rinse them with water and dry thoroughly.

Instead of vinegar, soda is also suitable: dip a wet rag in it to make a large layer of powder, and wipe the furniture. After processing, we sweep away the remaining soda with a dry rag and rinse with water.

Copper sulfate is a more powerful anti-mold agent. But it cannot be used on metal and porous materials, glass, plastic, and ceramics are more suitable. When working with this tool, you must carefully follow the safety rules: do not allow it contact with the skin of the hands, mucous membranes, and also provide good ventilation during use and after processing.

Video: how to get rid of mold in a linen closet

It is much more difficult to remove the smell of mold from upholstered furniture. The main problem is not the selection of a treatment tool, since any antiseptics can be used. The main thing is to ensure complete drying of the furniture after working with it.

With a shallow penetration of moldy mildew, treatment with a steam cleaner helps.

If your furniture has a slight mold pollution, it is cleaned according to the following scheme:

1. We dry the infected area of ​​furniture (in the ideal case, do it in the sun).
2. Scrape and remove the fungus from the upholstery.
3. If possible, use a steam cleaner for better cleaning.
4. We treat with an antiseptic.
5. Wash off the drug.
6. We carefully dry the furniture.

With a very strong mold infection, you will have to get rid of the furniture.

Getting rid of the smell of a refrigerator and a washing machine

To get rid of the smell of mold in the refrigerator, you need to thoroughly wash it with household chemicals or folk remedies (vinegar, soda, laundry soap). Keep in mind that it is undesirable to get acid on the rubber parts of the refrigerator. The spores of the fungus are microscopic, so you need to thoroughly wash all the corners of the refrigerator and freezer, you can use a toothbrush, but no sharp objects.

After washing, dry the device thoroughly and fill it with products, carefully looking at each of them, so as not to infect again.

If the situation was not so critical and you found and removed the moldy product, but the smell remained, for a small disinfection of the refrigerator, you can put any of these products:

• activated carbon (about 6 tab.);
• lemon cut into several parts;
• pieces of brown bread;
• baking soda on a saucer.

Video: how to get rid of mold in the refrigerator

High humidity in the bathroom can cause mold fungi to settle in the washing machine and you will smell bad. The main difficulty in solving this problem is the inaccessibility of individual parts of the device. The “weak points” where fungi can multiply include the following areas:

• a tray for loading detergents and the channel through which they pass into the drum;
• rubber cuff around the loading door;
• drain pump and water filters;
• drain hose.

To get rid of the smell, it is necessary to rinse thoroughly every detail. You can use the cleaning agent "Domestos" or its analogues. From folk remedies, soda, acetic and citric acid are suitable. But acid is not recommended to be used more often than once every six months.

Video: cleaning the washing machine with citric acid

An effective cleaning method is chlorine-containing substances, for example, "Whiteness":

• pour 100 g of the product into the powder tray;
• we start the car in an operating mode at the maximum temperature; at high temperature, fumes containing chlorine will affect all parts of the device, but they should not be inhaled;
• after rinsing and turning off, we air the bathroom;
• wipe the cuff and drum;
• leave the hatch open.

Instead of White, you can use tablets for dishwashers, they also have a disinfecting effect.

How to remove a musty smell from a thermos, pots

The smell pan can be boiled with the lid closed longer by dissolving a bag of citric acid in water or a couple of tablespoons of baking soda. You can also “boil” the lemon with the skin.

It is more difficult to get rid of the smell of mold in dishes that are constantly in contact with water, and drying it well is not always possible. For example, an unpleasant musty smell can appear in a thermos, teapot, thermal sweat. What to do:

1. Wash the thing well inside, use a brush.
2. Then pour over boiling water (be careful, put a spoon in a glass container and only then pour it).
3. So, we removed the possible mold, now we need to remove the smell. Take lemon peel from one fruit or lemon essential oil and pour hot water in a bowl. Leave for a few hours, and then rinse.

In the future, as a prophylaxis, odor-absorbing agents, for example, activated carbon tablets or a couple of tea bags, can be placed inside. And do not clog the container during storage so that there is access to fresh air.

Ways to eliminate mold odor in a car

The easiest way is to thoroughly wash with a disinfectant solution and dry the entire interior of the cabin. But this method does not always eliminate odor, since the fungus can be in the most inconspicuous places. It is more efficient to create an atmosphere in the cabin, destroying mold spores. There are several ways to do this:

1. Dry fog. Such a service is available at all car washes.
2. Oxygen purification. The method is expensive, but very productive.
3. Pairs of vinegar. At night in the cabin leave several open containers with table vinegar.
4. A pair of citric acid. Several lemons are cut and laid out around the salon for several hours.
5. The aroma of coffee. Sacks of grains are hung around the cabin. Its smell does not harm health, so they can be left for a long time.
6. Exposure to sunlight. The car is left in the sun for several hours, having previously removed all unnecessary from the passenger compartment and opened the doors for ventilation.

How to remove the smell of damp from the passenger compartment

The main reason for the appearance of mold is increased humidity. To avoid this scourge, it is necessary to ensure that your home is dry and warm, and all rooms are well ventilated.