# Removing musty odor



## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I bought a great old painted chest for my entry that is musty.
I cleaned it with a homemade vinegar/alcohol/ essential oil solution first. 
I then put a large bowl of baking soda inside it for a week, to no avail.
Any suggestions ?
I don't want to repaint as I like the look of it now.


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Wait for a warm sunny day and sit it outside. If it's a lid type chest have if facing so the sun is shining inside it, drawer type remove all drawers and sit them around so there's plenty of air space around them. Whatever was damp to cause the mustiness needs to get well dried.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Oh I am definitely ready for a warm sunny day! 
Thanks for your suggestion !


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

You could rent an ozone generator and run it inside the chest for a while.

We have a 150 yo immigrant's trunk that we use as a coffee table. I lined it with aromatic cedar siding. Now, it seconds as a storage chest for wool blankets.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I never heard of an ozone generator. I'll have to check it out.
My house is very small, I got the chest for storage and as a place to sit and take off shoes for the entry.
Can't put anything in it yet though.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

Ozone is the way to go. We have a large one and a small one we use in the treehouse to keep the varmits out. Ozone will kill any and all smells inc smoke. Be careful not to breathe it though. It also kills house plants and goldfish I found by mistake. It is safer than anything else though as it reverts back into 02 in 30 minutes. See it changes 02 into 03 and smells, etc just burn themselves up. It's also good to keep a cheap -fresh air machine- under a car hood when vehicle is stored to keep the mice out. They hate the smell.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I'll have to see if I can rent one around here,
.


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## Designlover (May 15, 2018)

I'd use a HEPA filter instead. It has the same type of purpose as an ozone generator but it's safer. Check out this article: https://learn.allergyandair.com/ozone-generators/


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## M5farm (Jan 14, 2014)

coffee grounds will adsorb the odors


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Pour two shots of tequila and set both inside the chest......now pay attention to this part as the timing is important. exactly five minutes after you set the shots inside, remove one and drink it, wait exactly three more minutes and drink the second shot. I call it the eight minute cure. Yes the chest will still smell musty........but what is important is you really will not care. If you do still care, repeat the process till you either don't care, or you can't see the chest.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Sourdough said:


> Pour two shots of tequila and set both inside the chest......now pay attention to this part as the timing is important. exactly five minutes after you set the shots inside, remove one and drink it, wait exactly three more minutes and drink the second shot. I call it the eight minute cure. Yes the chest will still smell musty........but what is important is you really will not care. If you do still care, repeat the process till you either don't care, or you can't see the chest.


Haaahaaa, I've never had only 2 shots of alcohol in one sitting....if I started again it would probably make the news!
I think I better stick to more traditional methods Sourdough!


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Teej's suggestion is good. Fresh air and sunshine itself will freshen it up somewhat. But if that does not work, the ozone generator will work. Just set it up in your garage or shed as the ozone can cause throat dryness and headaches if it is at high levels. But once you turn the ozone machine off, the ozone will quickly react and disappear - it is safe to use in your non-living area.

I see that smaller units are now sold dirt cheap. See https://www.walmart.com/ip/Clevr-Oz...4468&wl11=online&wl12=149873611&wl13=&veh=sem


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## Dances In Woods (Jun 18, 2002)

I agree on the fresh air/sunshine...open everything up so its exposed. Leave it out a few days if possible...when you bring it in you could always add a few dryer sheets inside. Best of luck


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Dances In Woods said:


> I agree on the fresh air/sunshine...open everything up so its exposed. Leave it out a few days if possible...when you bring it in you could always add a few dryer sheets inside. Best of luck



Thanks, today it's to get up to 91°, perfect day to put it outside!


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

I bought some old vintage suitcases and had the same issue. I ended up using lavender essential oil on a cotton ball and kept those puppies closed for a few weeks. It did the trick


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

Open them up and put in a room with a good ozone machine for a day.


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## TnMtngirl (Jun 30, 2002)

Thanks for the information on the ozone machines I didnt know walmart had them.
My house smells bad,hubby smokes 2 pks a day in here & its making my allergies worse.
And the house has not been thoroughly cleaned in 4 years,I have threatened to have it condemned
Also in the process of getting rid of 43 years worth of junk,not kept in the house ! On my own here no help,it will take a while,lol


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

I got rid of 70 years of stuff that my husband hoarded in no time (once I started) took several loads to vv and all the electrical stuff to the recycling guys. then I got a few bars of the old fashioned sunlight soap and cleaned everything.

why is your husband smoking indoors if you have allergies? unless of course he is sick or bedridden and can't go outside. that's a different story. I never let anyone smoke in my home. not only because it bothers me but it gets into drapes ,clothes,walls etc.course I don't know anyone that smokes anymore. the ones I did know are all dead. my first husband smoked when we married but he stopped for me. ~Georgia


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## frogmammy (Dec 8, 2004)

I've had charcoal briquettes work well. Just put a pie plate with briquettes inside, close the chest and wait 2-3 weeks.

Mon


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

Motels commonly use an ozone machine to kill odors with esp cigarette odors. We have one because this house that we bought in 2,000 had a cat in it. We left it run for 3 days. No smell. I use it in the tree house and tornado shelter on occasion. It also kills bugs, mice and I found out the hard way, houseplants too.. DO NOT BREATHE the ozone. It breaks back down into oxygen in about 20 minutes and leaves a nice clean smell.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

I will also vouch for leaving it outside under sunshine. Dry out the wood. A desiccant like calcium chloride in a sock left in the bottom of the chest will help keep it dry too.


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## #1 WV BonBonQueen (Sep 16, 2018)

You can put some Charcoal, the kind that doesn't have the lighter fluid on it, just plain charcoal in a bowl, or a sock, or whatever you prefer and put it in the chest. It will really take the Musty Smell away, and it doesn't seem to take long to do it and if it is a small enough package, you could leave it in there and that way you will know it won't start smelling again. I do this in our Truck Camper, used to use the DampRid stuff, but the Charcoal really helped more than that ever even hoped to. I just put it in a bowl, and set it in the sink, it stays there all the time, if it stops working, I can take it out, sit it in the sunshine for a while, then back to the truck camper it goes.


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## jersey girl (Nov 21, 2005)

A friend refurbished some old trunks. She wanted to line the inside with fabric, just to make pretty. she used plain elmers glue to put fabric in, and the musty odors never came back. 
I really like the idea of using cedar boards on the inside.


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