antiques question....

Mom2Dogs · ‎03-09-2010

@depglass...I recall on another thread you mentioned you were an antique dealer...I have a question.

What is the best method of getting a musty smell out of old furniture?

We have a beautiful old dressser in the bedroom, it has been there for 40+years...recently we 'smell' a musty smell in the bedroom, thinking it is the dresser.

After all these years could it emit a musty odor? It's very odd...nothing has been added to the room. The one other thing I thought of was our air conditioner (in the window)....maybe that is where the smell is coming from, but furniture was the first thing that came to mind.

Any thoughts, thanks!

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

I thought you paid extra for an authentic musty odor.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

Q4u · ‎03-17-2010

I used to deal antiques as well and I used the jars of odor gels (can be found in supermarkets/WalMart pet Dept and Ace Hardware. I've done it with dressers (one open jar in each drawer) close the drawers and just wait it out. I bought a humpback trunk for near to nothing because you could smell the mildew before you rounded the corner. I put in two jars in that trunk and waited two weeks. The smell was gone, but I would have done it again for two weeks if it hadn't. Make sure there is no mold along with the mildew. This is also good for purses with Cigarette smell (can't stand it).... take a plastic bag and blow some air into it, open all compartments of the purse and put the jar of gel in the bag with the purse. Can be repeated until the odor is gone.... worked well for me!

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*

Q4u · ‎03-17-2010

Just read that it might be the air conditioner.... you'll have to turn the AC off and take out a drawer and put your head into the dresser and take a few whiffs... while you're in there look around with a flashlight and look for actual mold! If you have mold then you'll have to kill it with a bleach solution.....

If it's the AC you'll have to take it apart somewhat and see what's going on in there.... sorry.....

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*

Mom2Dogs · ‎03-09-2010

@Q4u, thank you for the tip! It's just odd that after all these years the dresser is emitting an odor....if in fact it is the dresser.

Mom2Dogs · ‎03-09-2010

@Kachina624...not on purpose!

@Kachina624 wrote:
I thought you paid extra for an authentic musty odor.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

My guess is that it isn't the dresser all of a sudden, but more likely the air conditioner or some part of the house/room that is having dampness issues.

Q4u · ‎03-17-2010

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@Q4u, thank you for the tip! It's just odd that after all these years the dresser is emitting an odor....if in fact it is the dresser.

That's what I was thinking unless the humidity from the air conditioner has amped up some mildew already present (but not causing a prior problem)! Good luck!

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*