How to get rid of damp smell in cupboard

A cupboard smell can be one of the worst things you can have to solve at home. You can get a moldy stench from it and you might even find the clothes or belongings in there. Not only does it impact the cleanliness of your belongings, but it can indicate moisture which can in turn cause mould growth and possibly the ruin of your items if left unchecked. There are fortunately several good remedies that you can employ to get rid of this problem and restore your cupboard back to its new, odourless state.

In this post, we will learn what causes cupboard odor that is damp, how you can do to remove it and also avoid it in the future.

Learn What Causes Damp Smell?

So before we start looking for the solutions let’s know what causes that damp odour in the first place. Usually this smell comes from moisture that has been in a small space, like a cupboard. The humidity helps grow mold, mildew and bacteria that will make the room smell musty. Let’s take a closer look at some of the more common culprits:

Table 1: Causes of Damp Smell in Cupboards

Table 2: Methods to Get Rid of Damp Smell from Cupboards

Excessive Humidity

The main reason for a wet cupboard is a lot of moisture in the room. If the air is wet, water pools in poorly ventilated cupboards and wardrobes. If the humidity is more than 60% mold and mildew will be most prevalent, their spores causing that wet musty smell.

Leaky Pipes or Water Spills

If you see a leak in your plumbing, or water spilled, you introduce moist air into a cupboard, where mould and mildew can flourish. Lessons: even minor leaks, which might not be obvious at the time, result in condensation over time.

Poor Ventilation

An inadequately ventilated cupboard will also be more likely to collect moisture if it’s in a high-humidity space like a bathroom or basement. Moisture can’t get out, and odors can thrive without the airflow.

Storing Wet or Damp Items

Not letting wet towels, clothes or shoes dry completely in a cupboard before you let it air out is another culprit for dampness. They keep the water moist and, in time, release it into the air in the cupboard itself where it creates the stink.

How to Get Rid of Damp Smell from Your Cupboard.

We now know why you have the damp odour, let’s examine how to get rid of it effectively. So there are several ways that you can get rid of the smell and make it never happen again.

1. Clean the Cupboard Thoroughly
Start with the cupboard. Expel everything – clothes, linens, or whatever. A good cupboard clean is the first line of attack against the smell.

Wash down shelves and walls first with water and vinegar. Vinegar: Vinegar is a great natural disinfectant and deodoriser, which also kills mold and mildew. For really clunky spots, combine water, vinegar and baking soda for added power. Notice especially the corners, crevices and near the base of the cupboard where the moisture tends to collect.

(If it’s a wood cupboard, do not soak it with water. Rather, wipe it off with a damp cloth and dry the surface right away. For metal or plastic cabinets, you can go more thoroughly, as these can be more resiliant to moisture.

2. Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is famous for killing smells. : After cleaning your cupboard, coat your shelves with a thin coating of baking soda and let it sit overnight. Baking soda removes moisture and odors, which is a great remedy for damp smells. Then vacuum up the baking soda or dry it with a towel in the morning.

If you’re having an especially bad smell, place little bowls of baking soda in the cupboard to keep it going by absorbing moisture and removing the smell eventually.

3. Use Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is another great deodorizer. It absorbs water and adsorbs odours at the source. Activated charcoal comes in bags, pouches, or in loose in containers. Put 1 or 2 pouches of activated charcoal in your cupboard, depending on its size. You can also put it on each shelf so that it will get rid of the damp smell and the moisture.

Activated charcoal will kill all sorts of smells including musty or damp smells. This is one of the things you can get with activated charcoal — it will work for weeks while slowly renewing the freshness of your cupboard.

4. Utilize Essential Oils or Eau de Parfum Sachets.
A good essential oil to help obviate the wet stench is also a nice fragrance option. Lavender, eucalyptus or tea tree oils not only smell good but are antibacterial, so you can kill all those mould and mildew in the cupboard.

If you want to use essential oils, mix a few drops of oil and water in a spray bottle and mist the inside of the cupboard. Or, store some cotton balls or a cloth soaked in essential oils in the cupboard. Another trick is to make your own sachets, filling little cloth bags with dried flowers, herbs, or oils and hanging them up in the cupboard.

Essential oils won’t get at the cause of the wet odour, but they can make the room feel nice for a little while while you tackle the problem.

5. Increase Airflow and Ventilation
You don’t want to have moisture congested in any small space, even cupboards. When your cupboard doors have doors, try to open them for a couple of hours every day so fresh air can enter. Try running a dehumidifier in the room to help reduce moisture if the cupboard is located in a moist place (eg, a basement or bathroom).

There are even vent holes/shutters for air ventilation that you can place in the cupboard doors or walls. This stops moist air from building up, and prevents mold and mildew from growing.

6. Consider Using Silica Gel
Silica gel is a great moisture-retentive that will keep your cupboard free from evaporation and bad smells. You can get silica gel packages in all shapes and sizes and put them in various cupboards. Silica gel extracts water from the air so mold and mildew cannot grow.

If possible, make sure to change or reload the silica gel packs often so they do not go out of action. Some packs of silica gel can be baked to rehydrate them.

How to get rid of smell in vanity cupboard?