Open Accessibility Menu
Hide
Tidy Home

Get Rid Of Musty Smell Winter

When the temperatures drop, most people tend to spend a lot more time inside. And since you can’t open up your windows and doors to circulate air throughout your home, you could end up with a musty smell in your house. You don’t want to spend the winter suffering through that.

Eliminate odors and keep your home smelling fresh throughout the colder months with the following tips.

Keep the House Clean

The best way to eliminate odors in the winter is to keep your home clean. As you’re stuck indoors a lot more when it’s cold out, it’s only natural that more dirt and dander accumulates, especially if you have pets. This means you may have to clean a bit more often.

Take the time to dust and vacuum floors, furniture and curtains at least every other week so you can remove any dirt or soil that has built up. In addition, make sure you keep any fireplaces clean and swept when they’re not in use.

True, cleaning is not the most fun way to while away the winter days, but it’s well worth it when you don’t have to deal with a musty smell in your house.

Don’t Slack on Chores

It can be tempting to spend the winter bundled up in blankets and sipping cocoa in front of the television. And while there’s no reason you shouldn’t indulge a little, you don’t want to let your chores get out of hand. Piles of dirty laundry and socks wet from the snow can definitely be contributing factors to the mildew smell in your house. The same goes for trash cans and grimy dishes that have been left untended for even a day longer than they should be.

Make certain you don’t let the gray days of winter destroy your cleaning routines. Help eliminate odors by doing a load of clothes while you’re binging on your favorite mini-series. Additionally, wash dishes on a daily basis, and don’t forget to clean your trash can.

Neutralize House Odors

It may seem intuitive to burn seasonal candles or spray air fresheners to eliminate odors. However, these methods merely mask the musty smell in your house. To truly get rid of house odors, you have to neutralize foul scents. The best way to do this is with a product you most likely have in your kitchen cupboard: good old baking soda.

To neutralize odors, simply sprinkle baking soda on your floor and vacuum it up. You can also use baking soda to freshen up the insides of shoes. After all, they can get pretty dank and smelly if they get wet from the snow. Let the baking soda sit in the shoe overnight and then dump it out the next morning. That’s all there is to it.

Note: If you have pets, you’ll want to make sure they’re not in the room until you’ve vacuumed up the baking soda. Additionally, store your shoes where your furry friends can’t get to them. While a little bit of baking soda might not hurt them, larger amounts could make them very, very ill.

Take Advantage of Unseasonably Warm Days

If you’re lucky enough to experience the odd warm day, make the most out of it. Open the windows and air out the house. As the fresh air works its magic throughout your stuffy home, help it out by doing some cleaning. Take the time to clean your floors, shake out your rugs and vacuum your drapes and furniture to get rid of any pent up house odors. It may not feel quite as nice as a cool spring breeze, but you have to take what you can get in the winter.

You may be stuck inside, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with a musty smell in your house all winter. Make the most of the season by knowing how to eliminate odors.

Looking for more tips to keep your home tidy through winter? Check out these five ideas for organizing your mudroom.