It is possible to remove mildew smell from an older house?

Question

Everything has been removed Kitchen, floorings, subfloor, Everything in Bathrooms, all walls I washed with vinegar and soapy water. The house has been vacant 3 years and I am trying to have it be fresh and rennovated by fall which means I have 2 months. Nothing new has been reinstalled. There is no sign of water damage ever - only a spot where cats peed so we tore up all the plywood underlayment to eliminate that. The house is very airtight and has been closed up for 3 years. What am I doing wrong. How can I remove the closed up camper / hotel room stench. Large fans to try to circulate air and candles and Febreze is not eliminating the stench. We leave windows open for airflow as well. I am not living there but eventually I will need to so please any ideas what I am missing. I had furnace man come and give price on air filtration to remove 99% of smells from existing air for the forced air system but does anyone know about those working? They are a couple thousand so I was concerned.

Answer 1

If you have checked the attic and there is not any sign of a roof leak, then look under the house for standing water or maybe some old flooding.  See if the joists or beams have signs of water damage.  Salts will effloresce and come to the surface with the water penetration.  It may be time to get a mold inspector.  I would not waste my money on a commercial air filter.  If you can't find the problem on your own, it is unlikely the machine will.  It may be something in the duct work itself.  Rodents can take up residence there and you will have to look for spoors they leave behind.

Again it may be something in the walls.  Check with the city records to make sure there has never been any flooding.  Have your insurance agent check to see if there has ever been a claim.  It may be time to replace the attic insulation.  Something may have died up there years ago, and all they did was remove the carcass.

You've got a real stumper, as I have answered this one before.   Good Luck!

Answer 2

Might be wet insulation in the wall or ceiling checked the walls for mold ?

Answer 3

I recently bought a new house (if you could call it that more like a Money Pit) and know about the unpleasant smells! The only place you haven't looked?  Maybe behind the walls!  Mildew, mold, and even fungus can grow between the drywall and the frame.  Unfortuantely there is no way to tell if there are no signs on the outside wall!  It is important to check, as the smell may be unpleasant, but could also be hazardous to your health.  Call a professional to inspect for mold behind the drywall.  All the luck!

Answer 4

Things You’ll Need:

Dehumidifier

White vinegar

Hot water

Clean rags

Carpet cleaner

Step1

Empty out the closet and inspect each item for signs of mold or mildew. Put aside any clothing that has visible mold or a strong smell on it for the cleaners or washer. Throw out moldy books or papers. Also clear out shoes and inspect both inside and outside for mold.

Step2

Once the closet is empty, plug in the dehumidifier and set it just inside the closet door. This will take the remaining moisture out of the air. If you do not have a dehumidifier, try positing fans in the doorway to dry out the closet. Circulation will help dissipate the smell as well.

Step3

Mix a solution of 1/2 hot water and 1/2 white vinegar. Wipe down the walls and any shelving units completely. Dry afterwards with a clean towel. If there are any drawers in the closet, take them out and clean with the vinegar solution, but do not put back in yet.

Step4

If you have a carpeted closet, use carpet cleaner to sanitize the floor. Otherwise, use a fresh vinegar/water solution to clean the floor.

Step5

Leave doors of closet open for 2 to 3 days to dry out the closet. Keep humidifier on and make sure the room has circulation.

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Tips :

Remember, the point is to get rid of the mildew smell and not to cover it up with air fresheners or perfumes.



If you have drawers or other removable shelving in the closet, take them out to clean. If possible, leave in a sunny area (outside) to dry.



Leave closet doors open a bit to circulate the air or chose a door with venting.

Answer 5

are you sure it's that important??  Life is short you know.  Get some air freshener and don't worry about it.

Answer 6

There are some chemicals you can buy to  kill mold but ordinaly household bleach will kill mold, and mildew, too. Hospitals use bleach to kill bacteria, which might be the cause of your problem.

Answer 7

The smell could be coming from the sewer vent or dry pee traps. Run water in all your sinks bathtubs showers and laundry drain line. Drain lines must have water in the pee traps to prevent sewer odor.

After that check all the wood in the house .. like doors , cabinets and trim, wood loves to hold odor.

Wipe down with Orange Oil Cleaner and Furniture Polish .

Answer 8

first the mold is still there.  You can use a sealer on the all the potential infected areas.  So ya it would be painting the under layers.  There are sprays and disinfectants but they are mostly surface effective.  This is one of the problems with and older home that has gotten damp.  Now after sealing the wood and concrete you will also need to install vapor barriers on the walls.

You will then need to use good high quality sealing paint for the walls.    Now you can bring in your fans and deodorizers.  Sorry for the extra work and cost.

Skimping will cost you more later.

Answer 9

Check the plumbing in the house too.  Sometimes in a leaky pipe in a wall can cause wood rot behind the drywall.  Get a mildew expert in to inspect.

Answer 10

You didn't mention that you painted but that seems like it would help. One thing I do know is that once an older house has that "old house smell" there's not much you can do about it.