Removing Musty Odor from Old Cabinet

By Carol (Guest Post)

I found that if you put a container of DAMP-RID in your cabinet and empty often, then refill as needed with the granules, it will take out the musty smell. Try putting a clean cloth with VANILLA(real extract) and it should also help. Also there is a carpet/freshener that is a powder vanilla scent that works great on carpet, could sprinkle that inside...Made by GLADE Carpet & Room deodorizer.

By Anya - guest (Guest Post)

I have a great old wooden hutch/cabinet that was musty. I tried baking soda in a pan, then a baking soda/water paste scrub, then ground coffee and nothing worked. THEN, AHA! I sprayed the entire inside surface with cedar oil and no more musty smell! The cedar smell faded but the musty odor did NOT come back.

By Linne Dodds (Guest Post)

You could stuff it full of crumpled clean old newspaper for a while. I would spray OUT on the Paper. I get this in jugs at WalMart in the pet department. It smell like vanilla extract.

I think I read somewhere that using cottonballs or wads of paper towels with vanilla extract on them would fix something like this too.
Yep, see Related Links, vanilla balls & newspaper for odor removal.

By Jon in Birmingham (Guest Post)

Have you considered using plain, non-self-starting charcoal briquettes in an open container?

By Pam (Guest Post)

There was a tip on this very newsletter that suggested using some regular charcoal briquettes to remove odors. You can put some in a container to use in closets, basements, etc. In your case you might crush some up and put that into some sort of container that would fit in the cabinet or else just put a whole briquette in the cabinet. Hope this helps!

By Terry R (Guest Post)

I have had luck with Charcoal briquets in the back corners of a musty shelf, DO NOT use the self lighting charcoal