The Way to Eliminate a Musty Old Smell From an Antique Sofa
If you love the look of antique furniture, there’s no replacement for the actual thing. Locating an antique sofa in good shape might be somewhat difficult — and finding one in good shape that smells good, even more so. Upholstered furniture that’s been maintained in damp or humid conditions for an extended time may develop a musty smell, which could signal mildew or mould. A thorough drying out, followed by deodorizing with a few household products, de-funks those antique finds.
Place the sofa outside on a warm, sunny and warm day, if at all possible. Remove the pillows, if they come off, and lean them at an angle against the sofa along with a wall to make the most of airflow on both sides of each cushion. Allow the sofa to sit in the sunlight daily, or for as long as possible.
Preserve the sofa back indoors. Remove the pillows, if removable, again. Sprinkle baking soda liberally over all upholstered areas, including the pillows. Allow to set for 30 minutes to get a mild odor or a few hours to get a strong odor.
Vacuum the baking soda and all upholstered areas of the sofa.
Flip the pillows over, if at all possible, and sprinkle baking soda on the reverse sides, letting it set for up to several hours. Vacuum the whole cushion surfaces.
Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a sponge. Wipe any spots that look like they may be mould or mould on both the upholstered locations and the timber. Rinse the sponge often, adding more alcohol into your sponge and repeating the process until all areas are removed.