How to Eliminate Musty Odors in Storage Totes

If your storage tote has a musty odor, that odor can transfer to whatever you store inside the container. Some people sprinkle baking soda inside their totes before storing to prevent odors, but that makes a mess. Another option is placing an unused, dryer sheet in the tote prior to storing. If your tote already has a musty odor, your goal is to eliminate the unpleasant smell, before taking steps to prevent future odors.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper
• Nylon sock
• Activated charcoal

Instructions

1. Roll up balls of newspaper.

2. Fill the tote with the newspaper balls. Close the tote and let it sit for about a week.

3. Open the tote and remove the newspapers. If an odor remains, proceed to the next step.

4. Fill a nylon sock with activated charcoal. You can purchase activated charcoal at a pet-supply store.

5. Place the filled sock in the tote. Close the tote and let it sit for about three days. Remove the charcoal. It will have absorbed the odor.

Tips & Warnings

• A bowl of white distilled vinegar or an open box of kitty litter also absorbs odors.

References

• "Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things"; Reader's Digest; 2004
• "Housework Handbook"; Cheryl Scalpati; 2010
• "A Queen for All Seasons"; By Linda Cobb; 2001