House doesn't feel clean

[Notgonnawait3]

I keep the house clean, always stay on top of hovering and mopping, dishes, washing up, laundry.

But those are just the basics I suppose and my house doesn't feel clean. We've come home after 3 days away and it smells quite musty, which I'd not noticed before.

Please give me your tips for a clean looking and smelling house. What odd jobs make a big difference?

I did deep clean the oven last week which made a big difference. The windows also really need doing.

I think I saw something online about people soaking their sponges/dishcloth etc every night in some nice-smelling solution. Do people do this?

Do curtains need laundering? How often? What about duvets and mattresses.

Not sure how I got to 45 without knowing these things but here we are...

I think I'll commit to a couple of additional cleaning jobs a week for a while and see if it helps.

I open my windows everyday but of course you’ve just come back from holiday so hopefully the smell will dissipate once you’ve opened the windows in each room

If you have the spare cash treat yourself with a spring-clean type professional cleaning job

Tip for curtains: They're a pain in the arse to wash and washing can cause damage (plastic curtain backing on block out curtains can get tacky in the wash, stick together).

The main thing is dusting them, which I do by running our hand vac over them. You can also steam them with a hand steamer to freshen them up but unless you're smoking indoors or something I don't think it's a big issue. Spot clean stains by hand.

Windows open as much as possible, in this weather we have had the upstairs windows open almost permanently.
Give the washing machine a good clean, once done add disinfectant to every wash (we just use the cheapest aldi stuff) it kills bacteria on clothes and in the machine.
Change bedding weekly, fusty bedding smells awful!
Change towels regularly, they smell if they keep getting wet and being left to dry, towels and bedding need a hot wash.

Yep I think you can't beat opening up the windows and airing the house. It really does make a big difference I feel.

Thank you so much all!

Couple more questions:

• the soda crystals sound great, but how do you use them? Mix with water?
• I've actually never known what to use when told to use "soapy water" - detergent? Washing up liquid? Other type of soap? We do have sugar soap, I may use this on the bannister.

I laundered the bedroom curtains this morning and OMG, very satisfying (and disgusting) to see how much dirt came out of them. I thought it was sun discolouration but actually they've come out white again! Can't wait to get more bits done!

Do you pay to get your duvets washed every 3 months? Most of ours don’t fit in the washing machine.

Mix soda crystals with hot water. Put in a squirty bottle or uses a bowl and cloth. They'll clean the bannister. Make up the solution depending on how greasy or dirty the item is.

Make sure you're washing your bed linen and towels (very regularly) at 60 degrees.

Every morning, throw your quilt back to air your bed and open the bedroom window for 20 minutes, yes even if it's snowing outside.

Empty and clean kitchen bin most days.

If you have throws & blankets wash them regularly too.

Nancy Birtwhistle on Instagram has all the tips for using soda crystals, citric acid etc.

Soda crystals - sodium carbonate?? - green boxes, Sains, Morrisons - read instructions on box. Boiling water, I think it will say.
Drains, sinks, U-bends, in days gone by they were good for soaking a lift-out oven shelf.

I’ve actually never known what to use when told to use "soapy water" - detergent? Washing up liquid? Other type of soap? We do have sugar soap, I may use this on the bannister.

I use pledge soapy wood cleaner for doors, skirting boards, wooden furniture. It cleans well and smells nice. Washing up liquid is fine for most things that need soap though.

One thing I noticed recently when my kitchen smelt musty is my mop needed washed, give it a good clean - washing up liquid is fine and stand up to dry.

Open windows daily and when you are away for a few days put a couple of dishes/small pots around with either bicarbonate soda or coffee. Both will absorb odours.

So many good tips here. I don’t do most of them and my house doesn’t smell musty.

My house smells a bit musty if shut up for a few days. I also had a problem with a dishwasher pipe and that left a vague drain smell that’s been resolved now. If it’s stuffy, I’ll let fresh air in and light a wax burner too.

Some great tips here! I didn’t know about the bicarbonate of soda and coffee absorbing odours.

Sorry for a silly question - but do you mix the crystals with water?

edited - sorry seen replies above!! Thank you

No problem. Exact quantities are given on the DriPak website but what I do is sprinkle some in depending on the job.

For example, if I'm cleaning greasy kitchen tiles, I'll fill the sink ( no bowl) add about half a tablespoon and fill with hot water. Mix the crystals into the water like a bath.

Then using a cloth, soak in the solution, wring and clean. You can throw tea spoons or stained cups into the solution. Once finished, empty the sink and you've cleaned the sink and drain.

I have a spare spray bottle, I fill with crystals and hot water and clean paint work such as doors and skirting boards. Once finished pour down the loo or plug to clean the drain.

For washing the floor, I use very hot water and sprinkle in a handful of soda crystals. Don't use too much or it will leave a residue.

My upstairs windows are opened all day March till Nov. Winter couple hours. I'm not meaning a crack they're wide. Bathroom 24/7 all year.
Downstairs open when home.

Bedding weekly washed all 5 beds.
Nets maybe every 2 month
Curtains in lounge 2x a year maybe 3 ?. They get quite grubby due to traffic passing.
Sofa hoovered weekly under cushions.
House daily hoovered.
Towels washed daily. ( don't come at me ) I know it's lots compared to others.
Things like washing up never left.
Flash or dettol spray sides regular. Also use that for polishing .
Bleach loo daily / loo cleaner whatever I have left.
Mop.every 2 days all hardwood floors downstairs
Never more than 1/2 basket of washing.

I get it's probably excessive but I'm paranoid about smells. Whenever people visit they ask what aor freshener I use. I don't use any. It's just clean.

Take it to the laundrette

Yes curtains go in our own machine and we take the duvet to the laundrette

All of the above.

Also once a week I open clothes wardrobes and drawers plus our linen cupboards when the windows are open to get air into them. I try and leave them open all day. Sometimes I just open them for a few hours. Keeps everything fresh.

Fresh air will solve most of this. Open up all the windows for at least ten minutes a day, year round.

If your clothes and pyjamas smell musty even after being washed then the problem is probably your washing machine. Set a reminder in your phone to clean it once a month. I just put a capful of zoflora in the detergent draw and slosh a bit into the drum and run a 90 degree hot wash once a month. Always leave the door and drawer open when you take the laundry out to let it all dry out and prevent mould.

I wash blankets and bedding regularly but I'm very guilty of almost never cleaning curtains or rugs. I tend to spray them down with zoflora and water mixed in a spray bottle. But I think I'll give the curtains a wash after this thread and keep it as an annual job when the weather is nice.