Howdy, ladies!
I checked the archives and found the cure for musty towels and musty jeans, but have you got any advice on de-musting things that can’t be washed?
We’ve inherited some German Christmas decorations from my husband’s family, some of which are handmade dolls constructed of fabric and other textily goodness. I adore them, but after years of being in basements and garages, they smell incredibly musty.
Any ideas on how to de-stink without hurting them? I’ve managed to not dip them in Febreze, but the urge is strong.
Signed,
Musty in Mustyboro
Ivy says:
Good choice, on not dousing them in Febreze. Items like these you don’t want to get wet, as the wetness could damage them. In this case, you are going to want to clean them in a dry fashion.
Find the smallest plastic bag that will hold your items (if they’re really large, a garbage bag will work). Put them in the bag with a mixture of half baking soda and half cornstarch. Close the bag tightly and give it a good shake. Let it sit for a couple of days and take them out and brush off or gently vacuum off all the cornstarch and baking soda. The mixture should have absorbed the smell. If the item has a lot of nooks and crannies canned air may be quite handy.
Chances are, they’ll never smell like roses, but this will take the worst of the stink away.
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Put in a ziplock bag and surround with good quality clay cat litter with baking soda. The smell should be gone in a few days, and the cat litter will help pull out any oily stains.
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