How to get rid of damp in the apartment?

Apartments in old houses, as well as dwellings on the ground floors, are often prone to damp. How to get rid of damp in the apartment after flooding or in rooms located above the basement? Such questions often worry residents, because the humid air in the rooms leads to mold, and with it to the appearance of a persistent smell. It is absorbed not only into walls, but also into interior items, clothes. In addition to damage to property, constant dampness has a negative effect on the well-being of the owners of the apartment. Molds often lead to the development of chronic bronchopulmonary diseases, allergic reactions. This is especially dangerous for young children.

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Causes of high humidity and methods for its elimination

Residents of the first floors of old high-rise buildings most often suffer from dampness, since rusted pipes in the basement are constantly flowing, and rising steam leads to accumulation of moisture in floors, floorboards, finishes, etc.

Other likely causes of dampness include:

• poor ventilation
• flooding caused by breakthrough of water pipes;
• insufficient thermal insulation of the external walls of the home;
• high moisture content in the apartment when washing and drying things in the rooms.

Important! Even clothesline in the kitchen, bathroom and occasional airing can cause stale smells.

The usual way to remove moisture

Without eliminating the reason, trying to get rid of the damp in the house is useless, as sooner or later it will appear again. Therefore, first of all, find out the cause of the humidity in the apartment and eliminate it:

• if this is insufficient insulation - insulate the room from the outside;
• if the apartment has poor ventilation, remodel it.

Important! This will help fill the room with extra air.

Thorough approach

The most difficult thing is to get rid of dampness to residents of apartments on the first floor. There is no serious investment here. We recommend this action scheme:

1. If possible, eliminate the cause of high humidity in the basement: water leakage from pipes, water from the outside, etc.
2. Waterproof the ceiling in the basement. This procedure will not allow steam and humid air to leak into your home.
3. Coat all the cracks and seams between the floors from the inside.
4. Insulate the floor of the apartment.

Important! You can treat the floor with liquid waterproofing: first, smear the corners around the perimeter and stick a protective latex tape on the waterproofing substance. Coat the entire floor with liquid sealant using a roller or brush. This technology is also effective and allows you to get rid of dampness in the apartment completely.

We remove dampness after an accident

If the dampness “settled” inside after extensive flooding, then act extremely quickly:

1. Install at least 1 heater (preferably a heat fan) in the apartment so that the air flow is distributed over all walls.
2. Use dehumidifiers in the apartment.
3. If the moisture is deeply absorbed into the finish (for example, plaster) or hit the drywall, impregnated with the laminate, then only major repairs will help in this case.

We optimize the heating system

If the cause of dampness lies in the wrong heating system, then re-arrange:

1. Install additional radiators along the damp wall.
2. It will ideally solve your problem underfloor heating due to uniform heating of air

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How to get rid of dampness in the closet?

If the damp settled in the closet, then first of all you need to carefully dry the clothes:

1. Wash and dry light things in the sun.
2. Hang overcoats to dry in the sun for several days.

Important! Rinse the cabinet with potassium permanganate solution and dry it preferably on the street, or on the balcony. These actions will help not only to get rid of the smell of dampness on clothes, but also prevent its appearance again.

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How to solve the problem of dampness in the bathroom?

If there is a problem with dampness in the bathroom, then proceed as follows:

1. Carry out mold repair work.
2. Treat all tiles and seams with special water-repellent and antifungal treatment.
3. After processing, ensure good air circulation in the room.

Important! In the event that there is not enough natural ventilation or is completely absent, install an exhaust fan that will remove humid air outside. Additionally, install a heated towel rail in the bathroom that will dry the air. So you can not only get rid of dampness in the house, but also make prevention of the reproduction of molds and unpleasant odors.

Advice:

1. If the source of humidity in the apartment cannot be identified, try to get rid of the smell of dampness with folk remedies: place containers with salt in the rooms, which will effectively absorb moisture and eliminate unpleasant odors.
2. Do not forget to regularly air the apartment on warm and dry days.

If the dampness has settled in your house for a long time and you are struggling with it unsuccessfully, then mold can join all the troubles associated with the smell.

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How to get rid of the smell of mold?

Mold is a living organism that grows and develops in comfortable conditions, which can be: damp, humid air and poor ventilation of the room. Chemical processes that occur during mold growth create an unpleasant odor. Mold can develop on any surface and any materials. It can appear both in the kitchen, pantry, basement, bathroom, and in the living room.

Important! Before getting rid of the smell of mold, find its source of appearance: examine the apartment, the corners of the external walls, look into the closet. Mold will give out its habitat with black dots.

Mold Remedies

To remove the smell of mold, you can use the means purchased in hardware stores:

1. Special products are available in aerosols, which kill the smell of mold in a few weeks.
2. If it is necessary to destroy the fungus on the walls, purchase an antiseptic primer. It will destroy the fungus completely and protect it from mold in the future, but it is better to use a primer during repairs.

Folk remedies for mold

You can use folk remedies to get rid of mold in the apartment:

• Table vinegar. Spray the product on the surface affected by the fungus, and after an hour rinse the treated area with water. Be sure to ventilate the room. For prevention, we recommend repeating the procedure after a week.
• Ammonia. Mix the product in half with water and spray on the damaged areas. Leave the product on for several hours, and then wipe the surface with a damp cloth.
• Hydrogen peroxide - this antiseptic is perfect to get rid of mold and dampness in the apartment. Without diluting in water, spray the product on dark spots, then rinse thoroughly with water and wipe dry.

Important! Do not use the product on painted surfaces, as hydrogen peroxide can “eat” the color.

• Chlorine bleach is the enemy of the fungus. Prepare a solution of 1 part of the product and 10 parts of water. Wipe the infected tile in the bathroom or floor with a solution.

Important! When working with the product, protect your hands with rubber gloves, since chlorine can damage the skin, and also protect your respiratory system, as the smell of bleach is toxic.

• Baking soda is a well-known safe cleaner with which you can also get rid of mold in the apartment. 1 tbsp. l dilute means 1 tbsp. water. Wipe with a sponge moistened in this solution all the problem areas. You can also use a spray gun. After processing, wash the surface with clean water and sprinkle the area again, do not rinse the soda, as it will protect the surface from the reappearance of the fungus;
• Essential oils can be used not only as sources of a pleasant smell, but also as fighters with mold. Effective for this, essential oils of tea tree, grapefruit. These oils have powerful antifungal, disinfectant properties. During wet cleaning, add a few drops of tea tree oil, grapefruit in order to disinfect the room and fill it with fragrance.

Important! If the smell of mold appeared on the rear walls of the cabinets, behind the sofas, then replace the damaged elements and upholstery if possible with new ones; if this is not possible, take out the objects in the sun and treat them with antifungal agents. All drawers and shelves need to be processed.

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How to eliminate mold odor from things?

There are some of the easiest ways to get rid of the smell of mold and dampness on clothes:

1. If things were left wet and not washed immediately, then the smell of mold on such things can be removed by washing them, adding 1 cup of borax to the washing machine. You can also rinse things in water with the addition of 1 cup of table white vinegar, and then wash as usual.
2. To remove the smell of mustiness, soak the laundry with soda, and then wash.
3. If there is a smell of mold on the down jacket, then you will have to wash it several times.
4. Take the fur coat to dry cleaning.

Thorough soaking

If you decide to spend time, but surely get rid of the smell of mold on clothes, proceed as follows:

1. Soak things for 30 minutes in a warm solution of vinegar and washing powder: 1 tbsp. l vinegar, 1 tbsp. l washing powder in 1 liter of water.
2. Wash your clothes in the usual way.
3. Hang to dry in fresh air.
4. Dry with a hot iron on both sides.

Other remedies for fungus on clothes

You can get rid of mold on clothes by the following means:

• Remove stains of the fungus on wool and silk with turpentine: moisten a cotton swab with a product and treat the infected area. After the procedure, sprinkle the contaminated area with clay, cover with gauze and iron with a hot iron. After processing, wash the laundry using a normal soap solution at room temperature. Air dry.
• Liquid ammonia can cope with mold on colored clothes: dilute the product with water - a proportion of 1 to 1. Wipe the affected area with the resulting solution using a cotton swab. After processing, wash the laundry in warm, soapy water.
• Treat the infected area with lemon juice and leave for 3-5 minutes. Then sprinkle the stain with sodium chloride. After the fabric has dried, wash it with a non-hot soapy solution.
• Ascorbic acid will help to remove mold spots: dissolve the product in 50 ml of alcohol and treat the infected area with a cotton swab. Leave the clothes to dry completely and then brush with a clothes brush. After processing, wash and dry clothes.

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Prevention of mold odor and dampness

To permanently get rid of the smell of mold and dampness, you need to eliminate the source of their appearance and carry out some preventive measures:

1. Never leave wet or damp clothes in the laundry basket. Wash it immediately or at least dry it.
2. Ventilate rooms more often, especially those where mold may appear. Try to ventilate the apartment after every wet cleaning.
3. To remove the smell of mold in the basement or other non-residential premises will help cat's toilet. Put the box in the basement and the litter will absorb the smell of dampness. In a residential area, this method is not appropriate.
4. Check the condition of the hood in the bathroom, kitchen. Install a new one if necessary.
5. Do not dry laundry in a closed room.
6. Get a household air dryer.
7. Arrange the absorbing mixture in the corners where the dampness appears: mash 2-3 plates of activated carbon until a powder forms and mix with 100 g of salt. Pour the product into a wide-necked container and change it once a week.
8. Put the gaps between the walls and the ceiling.
9. To eliminate unpleasant odors and disinfect air, purchase an ionizer.
10. Ventilate your wardrobe at least once every month: open the doors and pull out all the drawers.
11. Dry wet clothes before sending them to the closet.
12. If possible, dry your clothes in the bright sun and hard frost.

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Do not put up with the smell of dampness and mold in your apartment, since microscopic spores of the fungus suppress the immune system, cause allergic cough, suffocation, runny nose. Do not mask the smell, but with the help of the described methods and means remove its source. Having achieved the desired result, provide your home with constant dryness, cleanliness so as not to solve the problem of odors in the future. Good luck!