As the days get lighter and the weather gets (slightly) warmer, you may have more opportunity to open up your windows a bit more often and maybe even get your laundry outside again. But have you noticed a musty smell in the house recently? Whatever could be causing it, it’s definitely a cause for investigation – but not necessarily concern… There are always one or two things that can cause lingering musty smells indoors, and those are poor ventilation and high moisture levels. Combined, you’re looking at a prefect recipe for condensation and damp. The good news is, most musty damp smells are caused by something that can be easily rectified, so let’s look at some those causes.

High humidity indoors

You don’t need to use a hygrometer to read the humidity in your home. If the moisture levels are above 60% you will likely know due to that persistent musty smell. You can fix this problem by improving the ventilation; Get the air circulating by opening windows as often as possible, preferably leaving them on the storm lock and keeping the ventilation flaps open, especially in bath and shower rooms. When that’s not possible, a dehumidifier will help. If you allow the high humidity to continue, you risk mould and mildew…

Mildew

Especially since we’re coming out of winter, mould and mildew could be the reason you’re detecting a musty smell in your house. Look out for spots of black mould behind wardrobes, in the shower and in the corners of rooms by the skirting boards, especially if those rooms have been used for drying laundry in. When tackling mildew, the most important thing to do is address the route cause straight away. It’s not always possible to avoid hanging wet clothes, so you may have to clean the mildew. Use warm soapy water, followed by white vinegar and rinse with very hot water. If that doesn’t work you may need to call in the experts as you have a greater problem. In showers and baths, you can use shop bought sprays, but be warned, if you don’t allow walls to dry properly, the mould will return.

A build up dust and grime

More than often than not, the musty damp smell is down to some mould, somewhere. However, if the room or house hasn’t been occupied for some time, it might smell musty because of a build up of dust and grime. If you can’t find any signs of mould and are still detecting damp smells after cleaning, you might consider calling in a damp specialist for a remedial survey. Here at PCS, we offer a free survey and cover Oxfordshire and the neighbouring counties. So, if you suspect you have damp problems that you’ve tried and not succeeded in fixing, please get in touch.