How to get rid of dampness in an apartment?

Apartments in old houses, as well as dwellings on the ground floors, are often exposed to dampness. How to get rid of dampness in the apartment after flooding or in rooms located above the basement? Such questions are often worried about residents, because the moist air in the rooms leads to the appearance of mold, and with it - to the appearance of a persistent smell. It is absorbed not only in the walls, but also in interior items, clothing. In addition to damage to property, constant dampness has a negative impact on the well-being of the owners of the apartment. Mold fungi often lead to the development of chronic bronchopulmonary diseases, allergic reactions. This is especially dangerous for young children.

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Causes of high humidity and how to solve it

The residents of the first floors of old high-rise buildings suffer most from dampness, as the rusted pipes in the basement are constantly flowing, and the rising steam leads to accumulation of moisture in floors, floorboards,etc.

Other likely causes of dampness include:

• poor ventilation;
• flooding caused by the breakthrough of water supply pipes;
• insufficient thermal insulation of the external walls of the dwelling;
• high content of moisture in the apartment when washing and drying things in the rooms.

Important! Even clothes ropes in the kitchen, bathroom and rare airing can cause stale smells.

The usual way to clean the dampness of

Without eliminating the cause, trying to get rid of dampness in the house is useless, because sooner or later it will appear again. Therefore, first of all find out the reason of occurrence of humidity in an apartment and eliminate it:

• if it is insufficient thermal insulation - heat the room from the outside;
• if the apartment has poor ventilation, remodel it.

Important! This will help fill the additional air of the room.

A thorough approach to

The most difficult thing is to get rid of the dampness of the tenants on the ground floor. Here you can not do without serious investments. We recommend the following scheme of action:

1. Eliminate, if possible, the cause of high humidity in the basement: leakage of water from pipes, water from outside, etc.
2. Waterproof the ceiling in the basement. Such a procedure will not allow the leakage of steam and moist air to your home.
3. Cover all cracks and seams between the floors from the inside.
4. Insulate the floor of the apartment.

Important! You can treat the floor with a liquid waterproofing: first coat the corners around the perimeter and apply a protective latex tape to the waterproofing agent. Cover the entire floor with a liquid sealant, using a roller or brush. This technology is also effective and allows you to get rid of the dampness in the apartment completely.

Remove the dampness after the accident

If the dampness "settled" inside after extensive flooding, then act as quickly as possible:

1. Install in the apartment at least 1 heater( better heat fan) so that the air flow is distributed throughout the walls.
2. Use dehumidifiers in the apartment.
3. If the moisture is deeply absorbed in the finish( for example, plaster) or got behind the gypsum board, impregnated the laminate, then in this case only major repairs will help.

Optimize the heating system

If the cause of the damp lies in the wrong heating system, then make the redevelopment:

1. Install additional radiators along the damp wall.
2. Ideally, your floor heating problem will solve your problem, thanks to the even heating of the

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How to get rid of damp in the closet?

If dampness has settled in the closet, then first of all you must carefully dry clothes:

1. Wash light things and dry them in the sun.
2. Hang out the outer clothing in the sun for several days.

Important! Wash the cabinet with a solution of potassium permanganate and dry it preferably on the street, or on the balcony. These actions will help not only to get rid of the smell of dampness on clothes, but prevent it from reappearing.

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How to solve the problem of dampness in the bathroom?

If there is a problem with the dampness in the bathroom, proceed as follows:

1. Carry out mold repair work.
2. Treat all tiles and seams with special water repellent and antifungal impregnation.
3. After treatment, ensure good air circulation in the room.

Important! In case there is not enough natural ventilation or it is not available at all, install an exhaust fan that will remove the moist air outside. Additionally, install a heated towel rail in the bathroom, which will dry the air. So you can not only get rid of dampness in the house, but also prevent the reproduction of mold fungi and unpleasant odor.

Tips:

1. If the source of humidity in the apartment can not be detected, try to get rid of the smell of dampness by folk remedies: Arrange in the rooms a container with salt that effectively absorbs moisture and eliminates unpleasant odors.
2. Do not forget to ventilate the apartment regularly on warm and dry days.

If the dampness in your home has lingered a long time and you struggle with it unsuccessfully, then mold can become involved in all the troubles associated with the smell.

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How to get rid of the smell of mold?

Mold is a living organism that grows and develops in comfortable conditions, which can be: dampness, humid air and poor room ventilation. The chemical processes occurring in the process of mold growth create an unpleasant smell. The mold can develop on any surface and any materials. It can appear as in the kitchen, pantry, basement, bathroom, and in the living room.

Important! Before you get rid of the smell of mold, find its source of appearance: explore the apartment, the corners of the outer walls, look into the cabinet. Mold will give its habitat to black dots.

Mold Remedies

To remove the smell of mold, you can use the products purchased at hardware stores:

1. Special products are produced in aerosols that kill the smell of mold in a few weeks.
2. If you need to destroy the fungus on the walls, get an antiseptic primer. It will destroy the fungus completely and protect against the appearance of mold in the future, but use a primer better during the repair.

Folk remedies for mold

You can use folk remedies to get rid of mold in the apartment:

• Table vinegar. Spray the product onto the surface affected by the fungus, and after an hour, rinse the treated area with water. Make sure to ventilate the room. For prevention, we recommend you repeat the procedure in a week.
• Ammonium alcohol. Mix the product in half with water and spray onto damaged areas. Leave the product on for several hours, then wipe the surface with a damp cloth.
• Hydrogen Peroxide - this antiseptic is great to get rid of mold and dampness in the apartment. Do not dilute in water, spray the product on dark spots, then rinse thoroughly with water and wipe dry.

Important! Do not use the product on painted surfaces, since hydrogen peroxide is able to "eat" the color.

• Chlorine-containing bleach is the enemy of the fungus. Prepare a solution from 1 part of the product and 10 parts of water. Wipe the solution with infected tiles in the bathroom or the floor.

Important! When working with the product, protect hands with rubber gloves, since chlorine can damage the skin, and also protect breathing organs, since the smell of bleach is toxic.

• Baking soda is a well-known safe cleaner, with which you can also get rid of mold in the apartment.1 tbsp.l.dilute the product with 1 tbsp.water. Wipe with a sponge soaked in this solution all the problem areas. You can also use a nebulizer. After treatment, wash the surface with clean water and sprinkle the area again, do not flush the soda, as it will protect the surface from the repeated appearance of the fungus;
• Essential oils can be used not only as sources of pleasant smell, but also as mold fighters. Effective for this essential oils of tea tree, grapefruit. These oils have powerful antifungal, disinfectant properties. During wet cleaning, add a few drops of tea tree oil, grapefruit to disinfect the room and fill it with fragrance.

Important! If the smell of mold appeared on the back of the cabinets, behind the sofas, then replace the damaged elements and upholstery if possible, if there is no such possibility, take out the objects in the sun and treat them with antifungal agents. You need to process all the drawers and shelves.

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How to eliminate the smell of mold from things?

There are a few easiest ways to get rid of the smell of mold and dampness on clothes:

1. If things were left wet and not washed immediately, then the smell of mold on such things can be removed by cleaning them by adding 1 cup of borax to the washing machine. You can also rinse things in the water with the addition of 1 cup of table white vinegar, and then wash as usual.
2. To remove the smell of mustiness, soak the laundry with soda, and then wash.
3. If there is a smell of mold on the down jacket, then it will have to be washed several times. Take the fur coat to dry cleaning.

Soaking Soaking

If you decide to take the time, but probably get rid of the smell of mold on clothes, proceed as follows:

1. Soak things for 30 minutes in a warm solution of vinegar and detergent: 1 tbsp.l.vinegar, 1 tbsp.l. Washing powder for 1 liter of water.
2. Wash things in the usual way.
3. Remove to fresh air.
4. Dry things with a hot iron on both sides.

Other remedies for fungus on clothes

To get rid of mold on clothes, you can use the following means:

• Stains of fungus on wool and silk things are removed with turpentine: moisten cotton swab means and treat the infected area. After the procedure, sprinkle the contaminated area with clay, cover with gauze and iron with a hot iron. After the treatment, wash the laundry using a usual soapy room temperature solution. Dry in the fresh air.
• With mold on colored clothing to cope with ammonia: dilute the product with water - a proportion of 1 to 1. The resulting solution, wipe the affected area with a cotton swab. After handling, wash clothes in warm, soapy water.
• Infect the affected area with lemon juice and leave for 3-5 minutes. Then sprinkle the stain with salt. After the fabric has dried, wash it with a hot soapy solution.
• To remove mold stains, ascorbic acid will help: dissolve the product in 50 ml of alcohol and treat the infected area with a cotton swab. Leave the clothes until completely dry, then clean with a clothing brush. After handling, wash clothes and dry.

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Preventing the smell of mildew and dampness

To permanently get rid of the smell of mold and dampness, you need to eliminate the source of their appearance and take some preventive measures:

1. Never leave wet or damp clothes in the laundry basket. Immediately wash it or at least dry it.
2. Ventilate rooms frequently, especially those where mold may appear. Try to ventilate the apartment after every wet cleaning
3. To remove the smell of mold in the basement or other non-residential premises will help the cat's toilet. Place the box in the basement and the litter of the toilet will absorb the smell of dampness. In a living room, this method is not appropriate.
4. Check the condition of the hood in the bathroom, kitchen. If necessary, install a new one.
5. Do not dry washed items in a closed room.
6. Purchase a household air dehumidifier.
7. Arrange at the corners where the dampness of the absorbent mixture appears: 2-3 plates of activated charcoal grind to form a powder and mix with 100 g of salt. Pour the product into a container with a wide neck and change it once a week.
8. Split between the walls and the ceiling.
9. To eliminate unpleasant odors and disinfect air, get an ionizer.
10. At least 1 time every month, ventilate the wardrobe: open the doors and push all the boxes.
11. Wet outer clothing before drying in a cabinet, thoroughly dry.
12. Dry clothes at all times in bright sunlight and frost.

Do not put up with the smell of dampness and mold in your apartment, as microscopic fungus spores suppress the immune system, cause an allergic cough, choking, runny nose. Do not mask the smell, and using the methods and tools described, remove its source. Having achieved the desired result, provide your home with constant dryness, purity, so as not to solve the problems of odors in the future. Good luck!