MIL leaves my guest room smelling like musty attic

[Anonymous]

ok- I do really like my MIL but she has A very musty old smell at her house and when she comes, it is impossible to get it out of the room and closet. Any suggestions? Really strong spray I can use after or what? I thought about sneaking her clothes into the washer. But even her suitcase smells like a musty moldy attic.
I have had carpets cleaned, used candles and fabreeze but that odor just won't go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ok- I do really like my MIL but she has A very musty old smell at her house and when she comes, it is impossible to get it out of the room and closet. Any suggestions? Really strong spray I can use after or what? I thought about sneaking her clothes into the washer. But even her suitcase smells like a musty moldy attic.
I have had carpets cleaned, used candles and fabreeze but that odor just won't go away.

Baking soda although the smell is in her suitcase and permeates everything.

[Anonymous]

Keep the door closed and hopefully she'll take that smell back home with her. You probably shouldn't be poking around in that room spraying air fresheners and lighting candles while she's there. That's rude. You can put some preemptive air fresheners in the room and closet before she gets there though. Don't keep a bunch of your stuff in that closet - it'll wind up picking up the smell.

Does your MIL's house have a mold problem? What do you think is causing this smell?

[Anonymous]

Charcoal, after she leaves.

[Anonymous]

No advice just makes me laugh. My ILs home/things have a musty old church smell. When they mail us a package I have to keep it in the garage!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ok- I do really like my MIL but she has A very musty old smell at her house and when she comes, it is impossible to get it out of the room and closet. Any suggestions? Really strong spray I can use after or what? I thought about sneaking her clothes into the washer. But even her suitcase smells like a musty moldy attic.
I have had carpets cleaned, used candles and fabreeze but that odor just won't go away.

A shower?

[Anonymous]

Op here- I'm not sure what causes the smell. I don't think she has mold at her house but it just smells like an attic. We had a crawl space under our last home and put couple bins of clothing- they mildewed and I could never ever get rid of the smell. That's exactly what her stuff smells like.... Just not as strong.
I will keep the door shut when she comes to visit and tell her it's yo keep pets from bothering her. I have put air fresheNets in closet, every outlet and the bath room. I have a strong candle I use when she leaves. She is clean- her house is not overly clean. Her housekeeper is 78 and does a horrible job bUt I am not sure that causes the odor. I think she just has a lot of old stuff that sits around. I really don't have any idea but it really does drive me nuts when she leaves-- bedspread and shower curtain and room in general smells like my crawl space!

[Anonymous]

I work with a guy and our office smells exactly the same.

I spray Febreze before he comes in and after he leaves. It helps a little bit.

[Anonymous]

Poor MIL.

[Anonymous]

Get her new luggage for Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get her new luggage for Christmas.

This!

[Anonymous]

Hmm, maybe it is the luggage. I'd be wondering what in the hell was causing this smell. totally weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here- I'm not sure what causes the smell. I don't think she has mold at her house but it just smells like an attic. We had a crawl space under our last home and put couple bins of clothing- they mildewed and I could never ever get rid of the smell. That's exactly what her stuff smells like.... Just not as strong.
I will keep the door shut when she comes to visit and tell her it's yo keep pets from bothering her. I have put air fresheNets in closet, every outlet and the bath room. I have a strong candle I use when she leaves. She is clean- her house is not overly clean. Her housekeeper is 78 and does a horrible job bUt I am not sure that causes the odor. I think she just has a lot of old stuff that sits around. I really don't have any idea but it really does drive me nuts when she leaves-- bedspread and shower curtain and room in general smells like my crawl space!

It sounds like she rarely opens windows and doesn't have fans or AC running in the house because she can't stand drafts. It's shut in stale air. When it's time to turn the heat on she just bakes that smell into everything. I had a grandmother that always had a bit of an odd musty attic smell about her and her stuff, nothing overwhelming just "old". I'm pretty sure it was just from the stagnant air in her house.

[Anonymous]

It shouldn't be that strong. It's probably her suitcases.

I kind of like that musty attic smell. Reminds me of happy times digging around in the antiques in my late grandparents' attic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here- I'm not sure what causes the smell. I don't think she has mold at her house but it just smells like an attic. We had a crawl space under our last home and put couple bins of clothing- they mildewed and I could never ever get rid of the smell. That's exactly what her stuff smells like.... Just not as strong.
I will keep the door shut when she comes to visit and tell her it's yo keep pets from bothering her. I have put air fresheNets in closet, every outlet and the bath room. I have a strong candle I use when she leaves. She is clean- her house is not overly clean. Her housekeeper is 78 and does a horrible job bUt I am not sure that causes the odor. I think she just has a lot of old stuff that sits around. I really don't have any idea but it really does drive me nuts when she leaves-- bedspread and shower curtain and room in general smells like my crawl space!

Guess what OP, it could be medical. It's common for us to smell certain ways, bad breath, etc, when we're sick or have autoimmune issues etc. get over yourself.