This problem is stressing me out. My partner bought a property last year that had stood empty for a while. He had a survey done and no damp was found. However, whilst we had it plastered, he stored clothes in the garage which he brought back into the bungalow. It always had a bit of a 'funny smell' but I thought it was just because it had stood empty a while and needed warming and airing. However the smell got worse and worse, until the day came when we found some of the things he'd stored in the garage and brought back inside, had got mould on them!
We got rid of those things, washed everything, threw away anything that had absorbed the smell that it wouldn't wash out of, and have used white vinegar and bleach to clean all the surfaces we can, including inside cupboards and on his leather sofa.
The problem is, although it's not as bad, we cannot completely get rid of the smell. What's puzzling about it is that in the bungalow, it doesn't seem to smell (we keep burning aromatherapy and scented candles) BUT when I leave (I haven't yet moved in with him) my clothes smell musty and my hair smells really bad of mustyness! Even after washing it, the smell lingers. So I am worried, as it's a month now since we got rid of the mouldy stuff, I am worried why it still smells enough to make my clothes and hair smell!!!
Incidentally, it's like an ongoing battle in that we keep finding further smelly culprits, so I am HOPING that its just that the mould smell permeated a lot of things, and not due to there still being mould hidden somewhere. Like I say, the survey said no damp, we can't SEE any damp or mould, the property is ventilated well (but wasn't heated enough over the winter due to my partner trying to save money).
If the smell doesn't go I am thinking we might have to get someone in to do some proper checks, but I don't know the best way to go about this. My partner is convinced there's no mould or damp anywhere and that the smell is just what remains from the mouldy items he brought into the house. I guess he could be right as the smell has improved, but it is taking so long to go away completely.
Next steps I am taking are neutradol spray and pots around the place, and zeolite crystals and possibly even activated carbon as well! I just don't want to be fighting a losing battle trying to make things smell nice if there is still a problem hiding somewhere we can't see, and I don't know where to turn for help, so if anyone can advise, I'd be very grateful.
I should add that the garage is housed below the property, and all fabrics that were stored there went mouldy or smelt dank, despite the fact my partner said every time he checked it was dry in there. It still smells like a cellar down there. We also had a new radiator fitted (we had it moved slightly to allow for new fitted wardrobes- which incidentally don't have backs as they are on the outside wall) in the bedroom, which is above the garage, there is a hole where the new pipe comes up which is surrounded with insultation, I checked the insulation in the garage around the central heating pipes and there's no sign of mould on that, but I do wonder if bad smells could be coming from the garage through this hole/gap into the whole property?
I feel like I am playing a guessing game wondering what is causing this smell and where it is! Would love to get to the bottom of it and eliminate it as it gets me down having all my clothes and hair smell, me and my partner are both business people too so it doesn't bode well visiting clients and smelling of musty dankness!
I have posted on other forums and some people have said get a dehumidifer, however when I phoned up some mould removalists, the guy there said this is unnecessary and wouldn't solve the underlying problem (if there still is one). I'd do it if it would help but my partner is very frugal and I doubt he'd want the cost of running one :/
We got rid of those things, washed everything, threw away anything that had absorbed the smell that it wouldn't wash out of, and have used white vinegar and bleach to clean all the surfaces we can, including inside cupboards and on his leather sofa.
The problem is, although it's not as bad, we cannot completely get rid of the smell. What's puzzling about it is that in the bungalow, it doesn't seem to smell (we keep burning aromatherapy and scented candles) BUT when I leave (I haven't yet moved in with him) my clothes smell musty and my hair smells really bad of mustyness! Even after washing it, the smell lingers. So I am worried, as it's a month now since we got rid of the mouldy stuff, I am worried why it still smells enough to make my clothes and hair smell!!!
Incidentally, it's like an ongoing battle in that we keep finding further smelly culprits, so I am HOPING that its just that the mould smell permeated a lot of things, and not due to there still being mould hidden somewhere. Like I say, the survey said no damp, we can't SEE any damp or mould, the property is ventilated well (but wasn't heated enough over the winter due to my partner trying to save money).
If the smell doesn't go I am thinking we might have to get someone in to do some proper checks, but I don't know the best way to go about this. My partner is convinced there's no mould or damp anywhere and that the smell is just what remains from the mouldy items he brought into the house. I guess he could be right as the smell has improved, but it is taking so long to go away completely.
Next steps I am taking are neutradol spray and pots around the place, and zeolite crystals and possibly even activated carbon as well! I just don't want to be fighting a losing battle trying to make things smell nice if there is still a problem hiding somewhere we can't see, and I don't know where to turn for help, so if anyone can advise, I'd be very grateful.
I should add that the garage is housed below the property, and all fabrics that were stored there went mouldy or smelt dank, despite the fact my partner said every time he checked it was dry in there. It still smells like a cellar down there. We also had a new radiator fitted (we had it moved slightly to allow for new fitted wardrobes- which incidentally don't have backs as they are on the outside wall) in the bedroom, which is above the garage, there is a hole where the new pipe comes up which is surrounded with insultation, I checked the insulation in the garage around the central heating pipes and there's no sign of mould on that, but I do wonder if bad smells could be coming from the garage through this hole/gap into the whole property?
I feel like I am playing a guessing game wondering what is causing this smell and where it is! Would love to get to the bottom of it and eliminate it as it gets me down having all my clothes and hair smell, me and my partner are both business people too so it doesn't bode well visiting clients and smelling of musty dankness!
I have posted on other forums and some people have said get a dehumidifer, however when I phoned up some mould removalists, the guy there said this is unnecessary and wouldn't solve the underlying problem (if there still is one). I'd do it if it would help but my partner is very frugal and I doubt he'd want the cost of running one :/