Help - need tips for getting rid of a musty smell in an old wardrobe

[Deux]

I have recently bought a lovely old wooden wardrobe from the charity shop but it comes with an accompanying old and musty smell inside.

I am wondering if the smell will ever go entirely!

So far I have hoovered it out and scrubbed it down with a vinegar and water solution. I've sprinkled bicarbonate inside and on the shelves.

I'm wondering if there is anything else I can do? Should I actually rub the bicarb into the wood? Keep the doors open? Window open?

I hope to paint the outside of the wardrobe but wanted to keep the wood inside unpainted. Would painting remove the smell? Was also wondering about putting some Briwax on the inside.

I would leave the door open for days and open your window as much as you can. I think a good airing can cure most things! If you are painting the outside then I would do inside. Then sprinkle with lavender oil!

clean it with a damp sponge moistened with warm water and WUL, rinse out frequently. Once fully dry, you can wipe it with a clean cloth moistened with white spirit. The smell of white spirit will take a while to go, but you will then have removed all surface and all ingrained dirt. Do it outdoors if you can.

You need plastic gloves with white spirit, not rubber gloves which will disintegrate.

White spirit was recommended to me by an antique restorer as it does not attack French Polish on old furniture.

Great, thanks. I'm giving it a good airing right now.

Piglet, what is WUL? I did google but to no avail.

Ashing P Iquid.

Seems so obvious when it's written down.