Getting Rid of That Musty Smell

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Scrabblebiker

Member
Mar 1, 2014
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I'm back home from my little moto adventure and every single item I had with me is permeated with a musty tropical smell. My partner tells me even my body "smells like Mexico" ...and we're not talking excessive tequila either.

I've put my clothing through a separate wash and it still smells. How do you folks get rid of the smell? or do you simply not stay in 400peso/night musty hotels? :)

Any suggestions, short of burning everything (we have burning bans here in Victoria), would be greatly appreciated.


...Michelle
 
M

mobrouser

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
2,345
101
63
These ideas may help to reduce the odour, but I have a feeling they won't remove it completely because I have never been able to.

1) put a little chloro in the wash - you can use the stuff meant for colours or,
2) put some activated charcoal in a cloth bag and put in a sealed container with your clothes for several days/weeks.
3) not sure how to remove from skin I've never had that happen, take a lot of baths rather than showers?
 
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PeterInBrat

Gold
May 29, 2006
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Buy some dry sage and burn it in the house or boil a pot of vinegar for about ten minutes. Move heavy furniture away from the walls where mold would be prone to grow and check the walls.

If you're going to be out of the house for less than a week, leave a small fan going or keep the ceiling fan on low.
 
S

Scrabblebiker

Member
Mar 1, 2014
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zoomzx11 said:
tell her to take a shower with soap and hot water
Click to expand...


Are you sure that'll work? I'm not too fond of wasting soap and water unless I'm certain it'll work :)

This is why I keep coming back here. I just can't get the same level of abuse at home ;-)


...Michelle
 
S

Scrabblebiker

Member
Mar 1, 2014
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Thanks for all the great tips. I'll go have a shower immediately to start. Peter's tips might come in handy since I live in a wet coastal climate. We do have lots of mold, just not the type with the tropical smell. More of the deadly black type instead.


...Michelle
 
Z

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
8,367
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sorry I just could not resist. Mildew is a big problem here. Leave shoes or a leather belt in the closet and its moldy. I have had some luck with those anti mildew bags as a preventative. good luck
 
bob saunders

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,562
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dr1.com
Scrabblebiker said:
Thanks for all the great tips. I'll go have a shower immediately to start. Peter's tips might come in handy since I live in a wet coastal climate. We do have lots of mold, just not the type with the tropical smell. More of the deadly black type instead.


...Michelle
Click to expand...

Wash clothing with borax and dry with bounce. Unless you ate anything really funky, after doing number two a couple of times and drinking plenty of good BC water your tropical body smell should be gone.
After doing Ethiopia we had to fumigate our clothing and that took about 4-5 washes to get that chemical smell gone, and that's where I learned bounce or gain fabric softener works great for both mold and chemical smell.
 
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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,330
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Preventative Measure

I installed a solar powered attic exhaust fan in our closet -- vented outside.

Has solved 90% of the mildew problems -- shoes , belts, etc no longer a problem
Excessive days of rain hurt - naturally, see "solar powered" above
 
S

Scrabblebiker

Member
Mar 1, 2014
75
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I'm happy to report that experiment #1 has been successful. After a hot shower (with shampoo and soap) and the next day a one hour bath with the jacuzzi jets going (again with shampoo and soap), my partner tells me the smell is gone. I also spent a few hours shoveling and hauling compost for the garden. It's all been sweated and washed out. Thanks DR1, I couldn't have done it without you.

Now on to the clothing and luggage.


...Michelle
 
S

s1mpleton

New member
Dec 24, 2013
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baking soda has worked for my laundry with odd odors.
i work on cars and also sweat alot. i use the arm and hammer additive for my laundry, it gets rid of the yellow "sweat" spots on my shirts and the odors.
 
F

flyinroom

Silver
Aug 26, 2012
3,803
690
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Wait a couple of days and it will all go away.......
It is astounding really what a body can get used to.
On a similar note, I recall back in the day when I was still a smoker....
All year long I smoked Marlboro and had no problem with them. When friends would come down and bring me Canadian cigs as a surprise, I discovered that they seemed to have a "funny" taste/odor. I would end up giving them away and going about my business with my Marlboro (Dominican).
Then I would come up to Canada for a few weeks/months and within a few days the Marlboro would start to smell/taste like American cigs...and I would switch to Can cigs.
Ah yes.. we humans are marvelous creatures.
Anyways...:)
Such is life.

P.S. Don't forget to air out the suitcase/backpack.
 
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frank12

Gold
Sep 6, 2011
11,847
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48
At first, my recommendation will seem unorthodox, but believe me, my method is tried and true. The recipe has been in my family for centuries. I've personally been doing it now for several decades with much success.

Using your bathtub, fill it will hot water--adding generous helpings of baking soda, pencil shavings, formaldehyde, cat urine, mint leaves, basil, honey, whiskey, and concentrate lemon juice. Stir for 15 minutes, then let it sit overnight.

The next day, thoroughly rinse, and then let dry in the sun. The smell will be gone, guaranteed, or your money back!

Frank
 
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