You can take your closet space for granted, due to its low-profile nature. Once you organize and store your clothes and shoes, they’re out of sight and mind until you need them. But, what happens when you leave your closet alone and forget about it?
Musty and moldy odors will move right into your closet. Smells seep into your belongings, leaving behind a stubborn stench that’ll make your nose wrinkle each time you step into your closet.
Battle those pesky closet smells with six useful pointers to add to your cleaning routine:
- Infuse your favorite perfume into your custom closet’s drawers.
- Mix and use your own DIY fabric fresheners with vinegar or essential oils.
- Hang sachet bags filled with fresh-smelling herbs and wood in your closets.
- Regularly deep clean your closet shelves and fixtures.
- Don’t overpack your closets and get rid of barely-worn items.
- Store only clean and dry belongings.
In this article, you’ll learn three tips to respond to lingering foul smells and three more tips to prevent them from ever coming back into your custom closets.
What Causes Musty Closet Smells?
That tell-tale dark closet mildew odor stems from two main issues: humidity and air circulation. Moisture in your closet causes condensation buildup. Improperly cleaning and drying your items before storing them eventually creates humidity problems.
When you leave your closet door shut or don’t let much light into the space, you limit your closet from getting much-needed air. Without air circulating through your closet, bacteria can grow and multiply.
A Calming Home takes note of how harmful bacteria have a protective layer, allowing them to survive longer in non-ideal areas. If you live in a rainy area or near a body of water, you should keep an eye on the levels of humidity and air circulation in your home.
Infuse Perfume and Cologne Fragrance Into Drawers
Instead of spraying fragrance directly onto your clothes, you can surround your closet with your favorite smell. Lightly spritz your perfume or cologne onto cotton balls or pads. After they’ve completely dried, line your drawers with the aromatic cotton.
Put your clothes away on top. Now, each time you open a drawer to grab something, your go-to scent will waft into the air.
Use DIY Fabric Fresheners
You can mix and use your own fabric fresheners. All you need is water and vinegar or just a few drops of essential oil. Check out these DIY fabric freshening recipes:
Quick-Fix Diluted Vinegar Spray
To freshen up individual clothing items, mix equal parts vinegar and water into a spray bottle.. Spray generously, paying close attention to odor-prone areas (like underarms and around the neck). Each item should dry within a few minutes. The vinegary smell will fade when your garment dries completely. When you using this method, be sure that you are spraying the solution in an outside area, away from your closets and other clothes.
Essential Oil Spray
Add a few drops of your preferred essential oil to a glass (or oil-safe) spray bottle and fill it with water. Use your new DIY spray for stale-smelling clothes.
Hang Sachet Bags in Your Closets
Herb-filled sachet bags are a multifunctional solution for your closets. Angie’s List recommends filling small sachet bags with fresh lavender. You can use cedarwood as a neutral, fresh-scented choice.
Cedarwood will help your closets smell better and it’ll also keep closet pests away.
Deep Clean Your Closet Shelves and Fixtures
You should periodically scrub your custom closet’s shelving and fixtures. You’ll be able to discard anything you no longer need and keep your closets smelling clean and fresh.
Remove your belongings and spray a cleaning rag with an all-purpose cleaner. Wipe down surfaces, baseboards, and hardware. Then, vacuum your carpet or sweep the floor. Air out your closets before putting your clothes away.
Purge Old Items to Make Room for New Clothes
Before you return from a shopping spree with new stuff, conduct routine closet purges. Ask yourself these questions when cleaning out your closets for garage sales and donation drives:
- Does this fit well?
- Is this comfortable to wear?
- Is it damaged or stained in a way I can’t feasibly fix?
- Do I even like it?
Overpacking your closet creates dust and dirt you won’t be able to see very well. It also prevents proper air circulation and light from getting into the area. Cut out some of the overwhelm in your space and get rid of your forgotten items.
Store Only Clean and Dry Belongings in Your Closets
Beat the humidity problem at its source and only store clothes, shoes, and accessories that are dry and clean. Wash and dry new garments you introduce to your closet to clean out any remaining food or dirt residue.
Avoid storing damp items fresh out of the dryer and make sure to check the pockets of new clothes for trash and paper.
Conclusion
Getting rid of foul smells in your closets isn’t as difficult or stressful as it seems. You don’t even have to worry about spending money on a professional cleaning company. While you can create your own solutions for existent odors, the best remedy is always prevention.
Cut out the issue at its source and enjoy your fresh-smelling custom closets for years to come.