Hi,
Firstly I should probably say that I am a complete novice when it comes to DIY - I know pretty much nothing.
Me and my wife have just purchased our first home and are generally very pleased. However, one niggling fault seems to be the cupboard under the stairs.
When we moved in we noticed that when the door was opened we were greeted with a very string mould smell. The cupboard was almost empty with no signs of damp. The only item in the cupboard was a pile of spare kitchen floor tiles. I assumed nothing of it and hoovered it out thinking it was an air flow issue.
Days past and the smell remained. I moved the tiles and discovered water underneath them. I guess that the large stack of tiles had been condensing water and mould had grown on the skirting board and floor. I took the stack of tiles out and cleaned the mould away.
Again, a few days past and the smell seemed no better. I then ripped out the carpet thinking this may have absorbed the smell. Underneath are standard 1970's esque plastic floor tiles that are glued to the concrete - again no sign of mould.
I bleached the walls, hoovered and have left the door open for a few weeks. I have also had a dehumidifier in their for a while, which has collected a normal amount of water.
After all that, the room still stinks. If I close the door few the day I will be greeted with a build up of mould smell (an earthy smell).
The brickwork seems damp free, as does the plastic tiling. I even took up a couple up to check the concrete beneath and all seems OK.
The house was build in the 70's and renovated in 2006. The floors downstairs are solid concrete and there are no visible airbricks or vents on the outside.
I am total novice so have no real idea what to do. I just want to not have a cupboard that seems to serve no purpose but generate foul mould smell.
Thanks
Firstly I should probably say that I am a complete novice when it comes to DIY - I know pretty much nothing.
Me and my wife have just purchased our first home and are generally very pleased. However, one niggling fault seems to be the cupboard under the stairs.
When we moved in we noticed that when the door was opened we were greeted with a very string mould smell. The cupboard was almost empty with no signs of damp. The only item in the cupboard was a pile of spare kitchen floor tiles. I assumed nothing of it and hoovered it out thinking it was an air flow issue.
Days past and the smell remained. I moved the tiles and discovered water underneath them. I guess that the large stack of tiles had been condensing water and mould had grown on the skirting board and floor. I took the stack of tiles out and cleaned the mould away.
Again, a few days past and the smell seemed no better. I then ripped out the carpet thinking this may have absorbed the smell. Underneath are standard 1970's esque plastic floor tiles that are glued to the concrete - again no sign of mould.
I bleached the walls, hoovered and have left the door open for a few weeks. I have also had a dehumidifier in their for a while, which has collected a normal amount of water.
After all that, the room still stinks. If I close the door few the day I will be greeted with a build up of mould smell (an earthy smell).
The brickwork seems damp free, as does the plastic tiling. I even took up a couple up to check the concrete beneath and all seems OK.
The house was build in the 70's and renovated in 2006. The floors downstairs are solid concrete and there are no visible airbricks or vents on the outside.
I am total novice so have no real idea what to do. I just want to not have a cupboard that seems to serve no purpose but generate foul mould smell.
Thanks