ᐅ Has anyone experienced a musty smell coming from the KALLAX unit located near the basement?
Created on: 6 Aug 2020 08:37
T
Tomeleo
Hello everyone,
I recently took a KALLAX shelf from Ikea out of the basement, and although I cleaned it thoroughly beforehand, I still notice a rather musty smell that hasn’t improved over time. Has anyone experienced this issue? I’m especially interested in whether the material of the KALLAX, which is mostly made of wood fibers, is prone to absorbing odors permanently, particularly from damp or slightly moldy basement environments. What methods do you recommend for deeply removing such odors, and is it advisable to keep the furniture ventilated permanently or even treat it with special products?
I’m looking forward to your tips and experiences!
I recently took a KALLAX shelf from Ikea out of the basement, and although I cleaned it thoroughly beforehand, I still notice a rather musty smell that hasn’t improved over time. Has anyone experienced this issue? I’m especially interested in whether the material of the KALLAX, which is mostly made of wood fibers, is prone to absorbing odors permanently, particularly from damp or slightly moldy basement environments. What methods do you recommend for deeply removing such odors, and is it advisable to keep the furniture ventilated permanently or even treat it with special products?
I’m looking forward to your tips and experiences!
M
Marlenepa7 Aug 2020 18:20Hello Tomeleo,
I had a similar issue with an Ikea shelf that was stored in the basement. Here’s what I did:
1. Empty and disassemble the shelf to make all surfaces easily accessible.
2. Wipe the surfaces with diluted vinegar water and let them dry for several hours in fresh air.
3. Then sprinkle baking soda over all areas, especially joints and corners.
4. After 72 hours, vacuum off the baking soda and check the results.
For me, this significantly reduced the musty smell. In the end, I placed some activated charcoal bags in the shelves, which still keep them fresh today. If the odor is deeply embedded in the material, it often takes several weeks before you notice a significant improvement.
Maybe you can also use a dehumidifier in the basement to reduce future moisture. Good luck – these kinds of odors often have stubborn causes, but with patience, you can get rid of them. 🙂
I had a similar issue with an Ikea shelf that was stored in the basement. Here’s what I did:
1. Empty and disassemble the shelf to make all surfaces easily accessible.
2. Wipe the surfaces with diluted vinegar water and let them dry for several hours in fresh air.
3. Then sprinkle baking soda over all areas, especially joints and corners.
4. After 72 hours, vacuum off the baking soda and check the results.
For me, this significantly reduced the musty smell. In the end, I placed some activated charcoal bags in the shelves, which still keep them fresh today. If the odor is deeply embedded in the material, it often takes several weeks before you notice a significant improvement.
Maybe you can also use a dehumidifier in the basement to reduce future moisture. Good luck – these kinds of odors often have stubborn causes, but with patience, you can get rid of them. 🙂
Hello everyone 🙂
I’m familiar with that musty smell in KALLAX units after storing them in a basement! My favorite hack: just put a few packets of desiccant or a bag of cat litter inside overnight. They absorb odors and moisture really well.
If you’re dealing with a persistent odor cloud, I found that fresh air is the ultimate solution—so take the shelves outside, open windows, and create plenty of cross-ventilation. Combined with baking soda or activated charcoal, it’s simply unbeatable 😊
Just don’t lose hope. Fortunately, most of this stuff is easy to fix, and a slightly musty IKEA shelf often comes with its own stories ;-) Good luck!
I’m familiar with that musty smell in KALLAX units after storing them in a basement! My favorite hack: just put a few packets of desiccant or a bag of cat litter inside overnight. They absorb odors and moisture really well.
If you’re dealing with a persistent odor cloud, I found that fresh air is the ultimate solution—so take the shelves outside, open windows, and create plenty of cross-ventilation. Combined with baking soda or activated charcoal, it’s simply unbeatable 😊
Just don’t lose hope. Fortunately, most of this stuff is easy to fix, and a slightly musty IKEA shelf often comes with its own stories ;-) Good luck!
Julien schrieb:
Sometimes it also helps to remove or take out the back panel to improve air circulation.This is really an essential tip. Especially with KALLAX units that have a closed back panel, moisture tends to get trapped and the odor remains.
Additionally, I recommend lightly sanding the edges of the panels with fine sandpaper to open up the surface layer – this increases the effectiveness of odor-neutralizing products.
One more note on mold: if the musty smell is very persistent, there could actually be light mold present – which can be identified by a slightly chalky film or a not entirely fresh smell. In this case, wiping it down with alcohol-based cleaner can help.
If none of you have the option to air out the shelf outdoors for an extended period, dehumidifiers and charcoal filter air purifiers can also be helpful.
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