How to Get Rid of a Musty Smell Under the House

Mildew can grow on many types of surfaces. It is can grow white or a blueish-green color. You may find mildew in your bathroom, under the paint in your hall closets, in your basement and even under your house. Mildew needs moisture to survive. You can use this information to get rid of the mildew. Once the mildew is gone, you will no longer have that horrid mildew odor.

Things You'll Need

• Moisture sensor
• Anti-microbial spray
• Moisture-absorbing silica gel
• Chloride of lime

Instructions

1. Open the crawl space doors to allow ventilation under the house. Drying the area out is key in getting rid of mildew.

2. Go under the house with a moisture sensor. This device will tell you where the highest levels of moisture are under your home. It will help you locate the spot where the mildew is.

3. Spray anti-microbial spray on the mildew. This will kill the mildew so that it goes away. You will still need to deal with moisture issue, or the mildew will return later on.

4. Place some moisture-absorbing silica gel into a few containers. Do not put lids on the containers. Set the containers under the house. The gel will dry out the air under the house so that the mildew does not have a chance to grow back.

5. Sprinkle chloride of lime under the house once you have gotten rid of the mildew and the moisture causing the mildew. The chloride of lime will get rid of any lingering odors.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use activated alumina, or anhydrous calcium sulfate in place of the moisture-absorbing silica gel; they too, will remove the moisture from the air.

• Treating the mildew smell without treating the mildew will get you no where. Take the time to locate the source of the mildew smell and eliminate it. Only then will you truly get rid of the mildew odor.

References

• Family and Consumer Sciences: Mildew Prevention and Removal
• Real Estate Agents: Get Rid of House Odors

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish