Freshening Up

Hello, M.!

I am not sure how much you can stand, but if you burn incense ALL THE TIME for awhile, the smoke will soon permiate the walls, carpets, etc. and possibly replace the musty smell. I like ARIS brand. I prefer the "fire" smells to "water" ones, but they are nice and likely strong enough. Maybe try having everything cleaned thoroughly (air ducts, shampoo carpets, scrub or repaint walls, refinish cabinets...you get the idea) if you have the means and time.

As far as stinky feet go, I have heard great things about tea. That's right....tea like you drink. Make STRONG tea and soak your feet in it. Something about the tannins in it make the sweat glands dry out or something....a fix this cheap is worth a try!!

Good luck! Please let me know if this helps!

I am editing this because I just got another idea from the web...Try liquid fabric softner and water in a spray bottle and spritz furniture, curtains, etc., you could put fabric softner sheets in the vacuum cleaner bag, or try some kind of liquid essential oil (lime, tea tree, lavendar, or whatever you prefer) on your furnace filter.

there is a product called Perma-Wash made my Zinsser. I get it thru my parent's suppliers becuase of their business but contracts use it clean mold / mildew etc. The thing it is not toxic and totally safe to use around kids, pets, etc. It kills virus, and all sorts of stuff. I use it in a spray bottom 1 to 7 ratio (it's a concentrate) to spray on rugs, couch, etc... to get rid of odors. I also mop, clean my bathrooms with it etc... in a 1 to 4 ratio. If that helps... it's kinda hard to find but if you can it's a great cleaner and very save for kids (I clean their toys with it especially after the flu)

On my carpets, I use regular baking soda and sprinkle all over. Let it sit for a day or overnight and vacuum up in the morning. It really helps rid the carpet of any funk without the overwhelming perfume-y smell. I don't know the cause of the smell or the layout of your house, but if you have a basement that smells musty, a de-humidifier might help, if excess water is the problem. I know it helps in our basement.

For your shoes, Dr. Scholl's makes several odor-eating inserts, powders and sprays. And, you can also use baking soda for the smell in your shoes. You can also rub the soda on your feet in the morning before you put your shoes on, and it should help absorb some of the moisture. If the inside of your shoes is not fabric, you can wipe down with rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball.

Good luck!

Odor Eaters is a great foot powder for the shoes. Also, after I wear a particularly stinky pair, I set them outside with a piece of newspaper in them. I swear it works! The newspaper just sucks up all the stink!

I know this sounds like too simple of a solution, but I have a VERY old house (108 yrs) and I REGULARLY use Febreeze. It works, but you have to spray daily. It also works on the shoes too. just spray them every night. for your shoes you could go to the shoe store and get these little balls that you keep in your shoes to absorb odor. it also helps to not wear the same shoes two days in a row, this gives the shoes time to air out. i saw these new insole liners that are supposed to help air flow in your shoes, but don't remember who makes them. i'm sure if you looked at the store it would say on the package.

As far as your home: You may want to hunt down the source for the smell, you may have a water leak somewhere or a hidden problem. Suggestions to help freshen it up is wiping down all the walls, including behind furniture with Mr. Clean, Pine Sol or something along those lines. Having the carpets professionaly cleaned. Opening the windows and letting the house "air" out.

Shoes: I have a pair of shoes that do that too. I use the Dr. Scholls Sport Spray and spray on my feet in the morning.
If the actual shoe is stinky, I would using a foot powder or the airsoles that help with odor.

Best of Luck!

Hi, M.,

There can be a number of reasons why your house has a musty smell. Usually, it's because of dampness or high humidity. There are several products in catalogs that will absorb excess humidity without the need to buy and run a dehumdifier. They are usually bags that you place out of sight in the damp areas of your home. Some of them need to be taken out in the sun after being used in the home to dry out and then can be reused.

Also, direct sunlight can really eliminate musty smells. If you can open windows and doors to let the sun in and also air out your home, that should help, too. Make sure your fabric window treatments are clean, they can trap musty odors, too.

Hope this helps.