+1

Damprid + dehumidifiers- you can get one to drain into your laundry room sink. I would steer clear of attempting to overwhelm the musty smell w a scent. That can make everything woese

Have you asked landlord?

Key is always reducing humidity. Naturally older houses will have more latent humidity but this isn't necessarily a problem unless the smell really bothers you. It doesn't mean you're drowning mold or anything. Damprid plus dehumidifiers will fix most of your problem.

Deep clean, change the AC air filter more often, air the house regularly, and run a dehumidifier.

This stuff is very effective at absorbing odors. The scents aren't overpowering, as they're not intended to mask odors.

https://www.freshwaveworks.com/collections/gels?utm_source=FW_GA_PMAX&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GA_PMAX&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21631855097&gbraid=0AAAAADnyHrlG_Hy-OP-waSy_ADVW3EC7k&gclid=CjwKCAjwxb7RBhA5EiwAQ-AAdCm4k67wvClJu4XDUXfIGUN7VGqcbIjHlSibKHGM_74X6ETA9zWdZBoCJ88QAvD_BwE&page=1&pscroll=-595

+1 to washing any textiles including carpet and wiping/mopping all the hard surfaces with a cleaning solution. You can use a spin mop on walls. Don’t forget the tops of door jambs and windows.

I live in 120 year-old house with a lot of air leaks to the outside. Dehumidifiers are your best friend and don’t just get one. I have a huge one in the basement a big one on the first floor and actually two of them on the second floor.

I went through this with a rental a couple of years ago. It had that "basement smell."

I second the rec for a dehumidifier. We bought big tubs of "Damp Rid." Not sure what the stuff is, but it helped. The smell in our house was the result of dampness in the foundation of the house. The smell was mostly gone in winter, and worse in damp months, and bad after rains. They have the Damp Rid stuff at hardware stores.

Nothing was able to cover it -- no Febreze, air fresheners, etc.

I hated it, but we knew we were only in that house for a year, so we lived with it.

Run a dehumidifier. Use a diffuser with essential oils: lavender and citrus scents are especially refreshing.

Wash the curtains and wash the carpets with a hot water extraction machine. Wipe down the walls with a damp cloth.

Damprid.

We are selling our current home in another city and are living in a rental in the new city we moved to. The house has several levels and was owned by an elderly woman, who I believe really only used part of the house (her bedroom, bathroom and the kitchen). There are a few areas in the house that smell musty (not damp) but like the air hasn’t circulated in a particular room or closet for awhile. Any tips on how to address this or get rid of the smell? Where there are windows, we have opened them but not all of the spaces have windows.

Thanks!