Getting rid of an old house smell that is occasionally used.?

p_ruminski: Getting rid of an old house smell that is occasionally used.?
We are featuring an old mansion on a Christmas tour. The owner lives elsewhere, and the house is usually empty. It is kept at 50 degrees during the day and turned up to 70 when someone is in the house, like for a weekend. The basement is very damp and generates the smell. Being in the house everyday with the heat up while decorating is helping some. I would like to know if there is some way of really getting this out before our tour. I know we can light candles, but it will just cover up. thanks!

Answers and Views:

Answer by alstar333
Get a dehumidifior in the basement. Put charcoal filters in the vents to remove odor, scented ones for adding odor. If any carpets, leave baking soda on overnight and vaccuum up in the morning. Leave multiple boxes of baking soda open in the basement to trap odors

Answer by dot&carryone.
You could try dehumidifying the basement and damp-proofing, which seems to be where the problem is generating from.

Answer by Lulu
if there is a way to heat the house everyday in the morning and the evening this will help, ventilation is also necessary, even if the weather is cold, i suggest you open the windows for a while in the morning.

you can leave baking soda in different containers or soak rags in vinegar and hang them, they absorb the moisture and the smells.

to maks the smell, i suggest boiling coffee or cinnamon
good luck 🙂

Answer by marsha
Set cups filled with vineger in different areas of the house. This should help with the smell some.

Answer by jimmy h
try using a dehumidifier,in the basement, that will take care of the dampness, then use fabreeze and you should be good.

Answer by cweetepye
Use a de-humidifier and bake cookies right before the home tour starts.

Answer by cowboydoc
Put a dehumidifier in the basement and dry it up. We had a old farm house as a summer retreat, it smelled “old” some didn’t like it, they didn’t come back or stay there. To me it was home but, I grew up there, now someone lives there and keeps it heated all the time. Keep the place at 68 degrees and try and heat the basement. I refinished our basement and put a second stage thermostat in the basement so I could control the heat. It works fine, it doesn’t smell anymore.

Answer by Annabella
My stepmother swears by placing charcoal in paper bags around the house, it will really help with musty odors.

Just before holidays or having company over, I will boil a large pan of cut apples, cinnamon, cloves, etc… boil it for hours, you might have to add water occasionally. The scent is nice and sticks around for quite some time! You can personalize it any way you wish with different spices.