The unpleasant smell of mold is not only uncomfortable—it is a sign that there is excess moisture in the room and an uninvited guest has settled in: mold. You are more likely to smell mold in places where moisture accumulates and there is no ventilation or very poor ventilation. The unpleasant smell permeates furniture, clothing, and other textiles and causes great discomfort. It is no surprise that as soon as they smell it, many people rush to find out how to eliminate the smell of mold.

Why does mold smell?

Mold, a fungus that reproduces by releasing spores and chemical substances into the environment, causing an unpleasant odor, often grows in damp, poorly ventilated areas.

The appearance of mold and its odor is promoted by moisture that accumulates and lingers in rooms, lack of ventilation, and minimal light. Sometimes the smell of mold can be faint, but it is often quite pungent. What’s more, mold and its smell are harmful to health as they irritate the respiratory tract and can cause or exacerbate allergies.

If you notice the smell of mold in your home, it is important to know that you need to eliminate not only the smell, but also the cause, otherwise the mold will return after a while.

The most common places for mold odor – where to check first?

You are most likely to encounter mold odor in damp, dark, unventilated areas. Here are the places in your home where you should look for mold odor first:

In wardrobes and behind furniture. Here, the smell of mould permeates clothes, bedding and other items stored in the wardrobe.
Mold odor in the bathroom. Under the sink and bathtub, between tiles, in the corners of the bathroom, near pipes. Constant humidity, poor ventilation, possible leaks, and poor visibility in this room create conditions for mold to grow unnoticed.
Mold in the basement. Poorly ventilated, cold, dark rooms are often the perfect environment for mold.
In window corners, under window sills. Long-term moisture here is caused by condensation that accumulates in winter.
At the joints between floors and walls, in corners. Leaks, cool exterior walls, and condensation often cause mold to grow.

Tips on how to eliminate mold odor in your home

Once you have detected the smell of mold and identified its source, you should first eliminate the mold itself. Until you do so, simply eliminating the smell will be a futile endeavor. Once you have dealt with the mold itself, but the smell is still noticeable, take measures to eliminate the unpleasant smell of mold.

Measures to eliminate mold

To combat mold, use the products that are available in almost every home, such as:

Lemon juice, vinegar. Use pure, undiluted products. After using acids, wash the areas with soap and water. Don’t forget to dry them so that mold doesn’t have a chance to grow back.
Baking soda. Mix the baking soda with water and apply the mixture to the mold-affected areas, leaving it overnight. Remove any baking soda residue with a damp cloth or rinse with soap and water.

You can also choose special products for removing mold and its odor. When using such products, follow the manufacturer’s and/or seller’s instructions to ensure your safety and avoid damaging the interior decoration and furniture.

Measures to eliminate mold odor

If the smell is still noticeable after removing the mold itself, try other measures to absorb the unpleasant odor.

Activated carbon

This product does not emit any odor itself, but it absorbs other odors very well. Place pieces of activated charcoal in areas where mold odor has settled and leave them for a couple of days—this should be enough to get rid of the unpleasant mold odor.

Ground coffee or coffee beans

Another tip is to use coffee, which is excellent at absorbing odors. It will eliminate the smell of mold from small spaces such as cupboards, dressers, and desk drawers. What’s more, the smell of mold in your home will be replaced by the pleasant aroma of coffee. Place a few containers of ground coffee or beans in your closet and leave them there for at least a day.

Essential oils

The smell of mold will be powerless against lemon or tea tree essential oils. These are excellent natural odor neutralizers. What’s more, these scents perform other functions in the home, such as alleviating the symptoms of respiratory diseases, having an antibacterial effect, purifying the air in rooms, and more.

Once the mold odor and the mold itself have been eliminated, it is important to ventilate the rooms well and ensure that they have the right humidity level. The latter should not exceed 60 percent.

When does the smell of mold in your home indicate a more serious problem?

Even if you cannot see the mold, but you can smell it, be aware that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. If no action is taken, the mold will continue to grow and spread throughout the walls, under the floors, in furniture, and behind them, damaging your property and health.

Therefore, you need to know not only how to eliminate the smell of mold, but also the cause itself. The longer you wait to take action and the more the mold grows, the harder it will be to get rid of it.

How to prevent mold odor in the future?

If you have successfully eliminated the smell of mold, here is what you need to do to reduce the risk of it returning in the future:

Ensure regular ventilation of rooms, even during the cold season
Do not leave wet textiles, such as laundry, in closed rooms.
Periodically check the areas around pipes for leaks.
If the humidity level in the premises is too high, use a dehumidifier.
Pay attention to whether the windows are fogging up.

Sometimes, it takes very little effort to prevent a big problem and avoid the hassle of removing mold odor.

When should you consult a specialist?

In cases of minor mold growth, it is usually possible to successfully eliminate it and its odor on your own. However, if you can smell mold but cannot find its source, or if the odor persists after eliminating the mold, it is worth contacting mold specialists.

There is a possibility that the mold may be inside the walls or under the floor. After conducting mold tests and determining its location, specialists will offer the best solutions for safe and long-term removal of mold and its odor.

A good microclimate in the rooms where we spend a lot of time is related to our well-being, health, and productivity, so do not ignore a problem such as an unpleasant mold odor.