We all know there is no way to ignore a bad smell. It’s always the first thing you notice when you walk into a house. The distinctively musty old house smell can be difficult to eliminate, but no matter how strong the smell is, there is always a way. Below, we will advise you on removing that old house smell!

The principal causes of musty-smelling houses are poor ventilation, high humidity, and darkness. The smell comes from the stale humidity that is trapped inside your home. These are the best conditions for mold to grow, so if none of our tips help with your problem, we recommend you have professionals come in to inspect your home.

1. Dry out your Sanford house

Before you do anything else, you should dry out of your home. This is a sure way to reduce the smell or even completely get rid of it! Our first recommendation is to open your windows. This will circulate the air in your home and push all the stale air out.

Make sure while you’re doing this you’re also pulling back those curtains and letting the sun in. The sun is your best defense against mold and mildew because the heat will naturally dry your home.

Now some homes receive little sun and/or don’t receive that much ventilation. If that sounds like your house, don't worry, there's still hope! You can buy a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers will take out the excess moisture from the air. You should put it in the areas of your home that don’t receive proper ventilation.

2. Check if you have any leaky pipes

Here, we all must admit that we have the bad habit of never checking our pipes. We believe that it is better not to touch what we don’t understand, which can lead to leaks not being discovered for a long period of time.

So, to start your search, look under all your sinks and see if you have any leaky pipes. Sometimes we have so many cleaning supplies and sponges under our sink that unless you really declutter everything, you would never discover if you have a problem.

If no leaks are visible, your dishwasher or washing machine could be the culprit. There are many reasons why it may be leaking, so definitely check it out!

Now the worst possibility is that you have structural problems, such as a leaky roof or foundation issue.

If you find a damp area on your walls and you have no idea where it could possibly come from, then most probably your ceiling is leaking. This problem can be simple and solvable if you call a specialist to take a look at your home.

If you have damp areas in your basement floor or walls, this is a telltale sign that you must check your foundation. Unfortunately, this leak takes much longer to show and often presents itself with a very strong musty odor.

3. Check your air ducts

One of the most common areas for mold to grow is in the air ducts, condensate pan, and condensate tube of your HVAC equipment or in other moist parts of the equipment.

We recommend that you check your HVAC system, and while you are at it check your air conditioner. Mold can grow in an air conditioner, especially if not used.

If you have even the slightest inkling that you have mold growing in your home, immediately call a specialist to clean it out. Mold can cause allergic reactions, and for people with serious mold, allergies may lead to severe reactions, including shortness of breath.

4. Wash your house

If that old house smell persists, there is still one last tried-and-true method to get rid of that old house smell.

Mixing two cups of vinegar, one cup of borax, and 16 ounces of hydrogen peroxide in a bucket of hot water will break down and eliminate odors, grime, mildew, grease and dust. Then, you can wash down your floors and walls.

You can then repaint the walls or replace the flooring where you suspect the odor is coming from.

You can also use odor neutralizers always to leave your house smelling good. Bad odors can be eliminated with baking soda and white vinegar. Place some in a cup and place it in the area that has the odor.

5. Get professional help

If your house odor persists, then it may be time to call in a professional odor removal company. They use multiple treatments and a range of advanced deodorization tools. Including:

• Thermal Fog – Thermal fog neutralizes odor, using a strong deodorizer. Since it's in a fog form, the mixture is able to permeate even the toughest-to-reach spots.

• Ozone – Ozone-generating devices produce ozone gas. Its reactive nature allows it to easily attach to pollution, especially odorous particles like smoke and organic matter such as viruses, bacteria, and mold spores.

• Hydroxyl Generators –  Use hydroperoxides to form Hydroxyl radicals that decompose chemicals in the air such as airborne mold spores and eliminate mold odors.

• Air Scrubbers – Use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that remove odorous compounds from the air.

6.  One last piece of advice

If you can't get rid of your home’s bad odor or just don’t want to deal with the hassle, we can help. All it takes is a phone call to Fix and Flippers and we’ll buy your house as-is, no matter how much work is required.

You won’t have to clean, wash, paint or spend money on odor removal services. In fact, we’ll buy your house regardless of its condition. Even if it has:

• Structural damage
• Foundation issues
• Leaky roof
• Open permits
• Pest infestation
• Functionally obsolescent design
• Problems with plumbing
• Outdated heating or cooling system
• Old electrical system

We are interested in buying your home, not in listing it. 

• We’ll buy your house for cash. 
• You won’t have to deal with home inspections, appraisals or mortgage approvals. 
• There are no buyer showings, open houses or Realtor caravans.
• Our process is faster and much less stressful than listing with a real estate broker or trying to sell your home on your own. 
• You can save a bundle on costly real estate commissions
• We tell you the truth, and always keep our word.

We are local home-buying experts that purchase houses throughout Sanford. Call Fix and Flippers today at 858-386-0949 to schedule a time to talk. There is no obligation whatsoever.

We love helping sellers sell their home faster, easier and without fees.

Contact us