Ask Mrs. Clean: House Cleaning, Stain Removal and Organizing Tips

[penry]

Due to a long term illness and surgery I have very recently moved back in with my parents and let out my own home for a year.

The room I am now staying in has been unoccupied for quite a while except for a couple of generations of skulking pets and became something of a storage room.

Although it has been well cleaned there remains a certain mustiness to the room which won't seem to shift despite my efforts to air it.

Has anyone any easy (in every sense of the word) tips for freshening up a room?

I should say that I am unable to fully weight bear on one leg for the next two months and am stuck with 2 crutches until my recovery kicks in properly. I also don't want to involve my parents. They've been fantastic help to me and if I were to raise this as an issue I would feel like the ultimate ungrateful child.

[mrscleannw]

Penny,
I am sorry to hear about your illness and hopefully you will have a full recovery very soon.

We can try and attempt to help you with the mustiness in your room. It does depend where the mustiness is coming from.

If it is mildew that is forming somewhere in the room finding the source is very helpful. It could be more than just a closed up room. There could be mildew growing somewhere from a leak or old carpet.

If you are looking for a temporary fix you can try a dehumidifier which can help in recycling the air and keep the moisture out of the room.

Some homemade remedies for odor removal would be:

Using vinegar and water to clean. Spray this on the walls and wipe down or carpets then vacuum. Vinegar is a natural deoderizer and any vinegar smell will dissipate after a short time.
You can try spreading baking soda on the carpet/floor and let it sit awhile before vacuuming it up. Baking soda is another natural deoderizer and can be very effective.
Purchasing an air freshener spray or febreeze, or a plug-in may also help if you cannot find the source.

If any of these ideas are too much for you due to your injury, maybe you have a friend that would be willing to help you out.

I hope these suggestions are helpful and again I hope you feel better soon.

Mrs. Clean.

[Crisp&Clean]

Good morning Penny!! Hope all is going well. I joined this forum to find some answers to some problems with my old, old house, but felt compelled to answer you!!

I agree with Mrs. Clean, the source of the smell is mildew or bacteria. I found a really great product that kills odor causing bacteria, and could save you from having to get rid of the carpet.

Its called What Odor? and has been a life saver while I was housebreaking my puppy. And as it breaks down the odor, it has a nice peppermint-y fragrance...I'm a guy and the flowery sprays don't cut it!!!

Jack