To get dressed for work, you open your wooden cupboard. there smell of damp cardboard and old socks comes at you in the face instead of fresh washing. your favorite shirt feels a little sticky when you touch it.
Last july i lost a really expensive leather jacket to this exact problem. the moisture in my bedroom cupboard was so bad that green fungus grew on the sleeves. I tried spraying a strong room freshener inside the closed doors to hide the smell. that was a huge mistake from my side. the mix of cheap perfume and damp wood just made my bedroom smell like a wet dog dipped in chemicals.
You do not need expensive room sprays to fix this. here is exactly how to get rid of damp smell in wooden cupboards by actually removing the trapped water.
- My cheap charcoal trick to fix hidden moisture fast
- Why you should throw away those smelly white mothballs
- Using ordinary school chalk to keep your clothes dry
- The only moisture absorbing bags i actually recommend
- Why shutting your wardrobe tightly makes the smell worst
- The hidden danger of packing too many clothes inside
- What to do when your favorite shirt already smells bad
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
My cheap charcoal trick to fix hidden moisture fast
First you have to take every single piece of clothing out of the cupboard. yes this is annoying and your bed will be a huge mess but it is mandatory. Leave the doors wide open and turn the ceiling fan on maximum speed for a few hours to dry the wood.
While the wood is drying grab a stack of old daily newspapers. roll them into thick balls and stuff them into the empty corners of your shelves. Newspaper is incredibly dry and absorbs up hidden moisture fast.
If the bad smell is really strong go to your kitchen and get a few pieces of dry barbecue charcoal. Put 3 or 4 pieces of raw charcoal inside an old cotton sock and tie a tight knot. Keep this in the bottom drawer. Charcoal naturally eats bad smells and traps water permanently.
Why you should throw away those smelly white mothballs
Our parents always threw handfuls of white naphthalene balls into every drawer. I highly suggest you stop doing this. they do keep insects away but they make your clothes smell like a public hospital. the smell gets trapped in the fabric and follows you all the way to the office.
Instead try using unroasted coffee beans. you should put a handful of cheap coffee beans in a small cloth pouch and hang it next to your shirts. coffee naturally neutralizes bad odors and gives your wardrobe a warm fresh scent. you can also buy small blocks of cedar wood online. Cedar naturally repels bugs and absorbs moisture without leaving a chemical smell on your clothes.
Using ordinary school chalk to keep your clothes dry
This is an old household trick that works perfectly for small drawers. so buy a cheap box of white blackboard chalk from a stationary shop. take a dozen pieces of chalk and tie them together tightly with a thick rubber band. hang this little bundle from the clothes rod or put it in the corner of your shelf.
Chalk is extremely porous so It acts like a magnet for water in the air. when the chalk feels wet after a few weeks you just leave it in the bright sun for a day and put it right back in the cupboard.
The only moisture absorbing bags i actually recommend
If you have a very large wardrobe the chalk might not be enough. the absolute best thing I ever bought for my bedroom was a hanging moisture absorber bag.
These simple plastic bags are filled with white calcium chloride beads. you just hang them on the rod next to your jackets. over a few weeks you will actually see the bottom half of the bag fill up with dirty yellow water pulled directly out of the trapped air. It is shocking to see how much water was hiding inside your furniture. once the bag is full of water you just throw it in the dustbin and hang a new one.
Why shutting your wardrobe tightly makes the smell worst
The easiest way to stop the damp smell from coming back is good airflow. you should never shut wardrobe doors extremely tight during heavy rain. Leave a tiny gap so the fresh air can circulate inside. also make absolutely sure your clothes are completely dry before folding them. even one slightly wet towel can ruin the smell of the entire cupboard.
Try throwing a few charcoal pieces into an old sock today and see how quickly the bad smell disappears.
Read here: How to fix a swollen wooden door that won’t close in the Monsoon
The hidden danger of packing too many clothes inside
Another huge reason your cupboard smells bad is that you have too many clothes packed inside. when you jam 50 shirts onto a rail meant for 20 there is zero space for air to move. The blocked air gets old and the moisture just sits there.
I used to do this all the time. I would push all my heavy winter sweaters into the back corner and forget about them. when the monsoon arrived those hidden sweaters acted like giant sponges soaking up the wet air.
Take an hour this weekend to declutter. If you have not worn a shirt in six months put it in a vacuum sealed plastic bag. these bags suck all the air out flat and completely protect the fabric from moisture. this leaves breathing room for the clothes you actually wear everyday.
What to do when your favorite shirt already smells bad
Your favorite clothing may still smell bad even after you’ve cleaned the cupboard. frequently, using regular detergent to wash them is ineffective. as soon as you iron them, the smell of damp returns.
Don’t throw the clothing. all you have to do is remove hidden fungus from the threads of the cloth.
Place the smelly clothing in the washing machine. you should pour one cup of basic white vinegar over the clothing in place of detergent. Use warm water to run a standard wash cycle. microorganisms creating the smell are wiped out by the vinegar. so wash them again with your regular detergent when the cycle is complete. before returning them to the clean cabinet, hang them under a ceiling fan until they are totally dry.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does baking soda work for bad smells in cupboards?
Yes, baking soda is a great way to absorb smells. you may open a tiny basin of baking soda and store it on your wardrobe’s lowest shelf. it works just like the charcoal technique, but once the powder becomes solid and damp, it stops working, so you have to refill it every month.
Can I use a hair dryer to dry the inside of the cupboard?
If the wood looks physically wet, you can use a hair dryer, but it must be set at low heat. the polish or paint may break down and completely peel off if extremely hot air is blasted directly onto the wood. simply leaving the doors open and letting the room’s ceiling fan do the work is far safer.
How do I protect my leather jackets from getting fungus?
Since leather is a natural material, it absorbs water extremely fast. in july, a leather jacket that comes into touch with your cupboard’s wooden walls will develop green or white fungus in a matter of days. the greatest tip is to wrap your costly coats in a cotton pillowcase or an old cotton bed sheet before hanging them.
