Did you know that the air freshener market in the UK is worth around £600 million and is predicted to reach approximately £800 million by 2028?
And this doesn't take into account all the incense sticks and scented candles we use to rid our homes of bad smells!
All these points to one thing: our homes don't always smell too good, and we desperately try to mask these nasty odours with pleasant ones.
There are various reasons for this; keeping pets in the home (kitty litter can be very unpleasant!), smoking indoors, lingering smells from making dinner, bad odours from the washing machine/dishwasher waste pipe, blocked drains in the bath or shower - the list goes on.
But these are usually strong, noticeable smells that can be remedied fairly easily.
Dealing with musty smells isn't as easy. To begin with, it can be subtle, so you don't always detect it immediately. Also, we get used to the aroma of our own house (every house has its own distinctive smell!), and this makes it even harder to realise that something is amiss. Occasionally, it gets worse, with a sudden musty smell that seems almost overwhelming.
As professional providers of ventilation solutions, the PIV Team knows a fair amount about this, so we are ideally placed to offer expert advice on the main reasons for a musty-smelling house.
If you've detected a musty smell in your home, our guide will help you to identify the cause and provide the best solutions to help you get rid of this unwanted odour.
The actual smell itself is most likely due to microbial volatile organic compounds given off as gas by black mould and mildew. Now, as alarming as it might sound, it's usually quite harmless to most healthy adults.
Even so, it can be a different matter for very young infants, the elderly, or those with pre-existing respiratory problems, as the VOCs and mould spores can trigger asthma attacks. It has also been linked with other symptoms, such as nausea, itchy skin, eye irritation, and headaches.
There are at least 20,000 different kinds of mould, but only a handful of these usually appear in our homes. Of these, Cladosporium is the most likely. You'll also hear the term toxic black mould being tossed about, usually by media sources eager to stir up panic and worry in order to draw your attention, but cases of real toxic mould are incredibly rare.
Still, black mould is a serious problem that brings misery to millions of people, and it needs sorting out as it can present a health risk and cause damage to your home.
In addition to black mould (which can also be green, red, or grey in colour!), the musty smell may be due to mildew, which is slightly different, often appearing as a white or greyish fuzz on surfaces. Mildew is a fungus rather than a mould, but it still gives off an unpleasant odour.
However, it's not uncommon to have both black mould and mildew, as fungal colonies and moulds of all kinds thrive in similar conditions.
Delve into: How To Get Rid Of Mould Permanently
Excess moisture buildup is the biggest culprit. When we wash the dishes, hang up wet clothes to dry, boil food in saucepans, take a bath or shower, or even just breathe in our own homes, we contribute several litres of moisture to the air around us every day!
Without adequate ventilation, moisture and humidity build in the air and form on cold surfaces as condensation. Mould spores, carried in the air, our clothes, or shoes, settle on these surfaces and start to grow, eventually emitting the unpleasant smell that we are familiar with.
The first place to check is your bathroom, which is usually exposed to more steam than other rooms. This is often where black mould makes its appearance, especially when there's poor ventilation. It's not unusual to find a musty odour here, although many people accept it as 'normal'.
Mould is sneaky! Your home might have that damp, musty smell even when there's no sign of those telltale black spots, but that's only because the mould is hidden away beneath ceiling tiles, deep in the pores of organic materials, or tucked into nooks and crannies around the house.
This makes it difficult to tackle - but not impossible.
Keep reading to discover a brilliantly effective method that will help you overcome the problem and which also offers a host of other benefits.
Before that, we need to ask another question...
Learn more: How To Get Rid Of Condensation In Your Property
While you might be lucky enough to avoid the annoyance of black mould, your home may still have a lingering odour of stale air.
Again, the problem will probably be connected with your lifestyle to some extent and whether or not you keep pets (dogs, in particular, can contribute to this). Smokers will always struggle to avoid stale odours in their homes, as the smoke contains a lot of impurities that cling to fabric, carpets, and soft furnishings.
However, the overriding factor in almost every case is a lack of proper ventilation throughout the property.
Incidentally, if you detect a strong smell of rotten eggs, this could be a sign of a natural gas leak or broken sewer pipe. In both cases, it's imperative that you contact the relevant company to explore this as a matter of urgency.
If you want to remove musty smells and stale air permanently, there are several methods you can try, some of which can be combined for optimum results:
Consider having your carpets professionally cleaned; carpets take a beating and sometimes smell bad due to spills and accidents (especially when you have kids!). You could extend this to get soft furnishings properly cleaned. Deep cleaning gets rid of pet dander, ingrained dirt, and most other nasties that might cause that musty scent.
Vacuum your home frequently, ideally with a machine fitted with a HEPA filter. Wash the filters regularly to ensure that the vacuum cleaner stays fresh.
Remedies like baking soda (or baking powder) work well in eliminating bad smells. Many people boil lemon peels as a natural air freshener, often adding vanilla, cinnamon, or cloves to fill the home with a rich aroma.
It's an obvious one, but the simple act of opening windows can increase ventilation dramatically and introduce fresh air. Electric fans and extractor fans will also help.
Take a look: What Causes Condensation On Windows
These machines can be invaluable in the battle against musty smells and will also reduce allergens in the air.
A leaky pipe will make the place damp, encouraging mould and mildew. Fixing water leaks will help to limit the risk of damp conditions that mould loves!
These tips are just a few ways of getting rid of musty odours, but they are essentially pointless if you don't tackle the underlying problem of black mould.
High humidity in your home allows mould to thrive - it's that simple.
A Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) system is perfect for reducing humidity, thus eradicating condensation. Once it's fitted, a PIV unit works continually to improve indoor air quality by drawing fresh air in from outside, filtering it, and pushing it gently through the property.
Balancing the humidity and replacing stagnant air with fresh air drastically reduces the chances of mould, and by combining this with the above tips, you can make your home smell fresh and clean once again!
Want to know more about these amazing systems? The PIV Team can answer all of your questions and help you find the perfect unit to solve your mould and condensation problem.
Uncover more: How Long Does A PIV Unit Take To Work
