4 Reasons a Musty Odor Is in Your Upholstered

No one likes a musty odor in the upholstery. It leaves the entire room smelling bad and you have no desire to sit on the chairs or couch. There could be several reasons for the musty odor in the upholstery. However, before you can treat the problem you have to know what it is. Here are 4 reasons a musty odor can be in your upholstery.

1. Closed Room

If the room has been closed up for several months everything in it may smell musty, especially if the drapes have been shut so that little or no light enters. With no fresh air, the room will take on a musty odor.

Not only do you need to open the drapes, you also have to allow for ample ventilation. This means opening windows and doors to create a cross breeze. There will also be plenty of dust, so you’ll have to clean the room, vacuuming the carpets and the upholstery. Allow a couple of days for the musty odor to leave, as long as you have good ventilation.

2. Spilled Milk

There’s no musty odor quite like milk that’s been spilled and dried. It’s difficult to take, but it has to be cleaned up properly in order for the smell to go. There are two methods that work well.

Locate where the old milk is in the upholstery. Scrape up any that’s become crusted and dry. Scrub the area with soap and warm water before you soak it with white vinegar. The smell will be very strong, but it will be better than the musty odor of sour milk. Mop up the vinegar with paper towels, then leave it to dry.

As an alternative, you can use baking soda. Pour it on the affected area, then sprinkle it with water before leaving it to stand overnight. After this, vacuum up the baking soda. If any of the musty odor remains after this procedure, spray the area with club soda until it’s lightly damp. The smell will become worse for a short period, but will eventually fade.

3. Smoke

Smoke in the upholstery can cause a musty and unpleasant smell. To remove it, sprinkle baking soda over the upholstery, leave it for a few minutes, and then vacuum it out, using the upholstery attachment to reach into the corners and crevices.

4. Mold

The leading cause of a musty odor in upholstery is mold. Generally, it will be visible on the surface. Although it looks and smells awful, you can get rid of the mold and musty odor. Start by scraping up as much as possible, then vacuum up all you can. Take a clean cloth and scrub the affected area with a solution of 1 part water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. You can also use a soft brush for this.

If possible, take the piece of upholstery outside so it can dry in the sun. This will be a great help in removing the musty odor. If it’s drying inside, keep air circulating with a fan on a low setting.