Horrible fusty smell in wardrobes. How to get rid?

[Orangeanddemons]

We've just moved onto a rented house. The fitted wardrobes are circa late 70s. They smell awful, I feel sick going in the bedroom.

I have 4 air freshenes in there, soap in every drawer, windows open constantly, but it's making no difference. What else can I do?

Is there carpet in the bottom or anything which may be holding the bad smell or is it a damp smell of some sort? Are you certain it is in the wardrobes or could be behind them?

Sorry to ask questions instead of proposing solutions, but the answers will help to better advise you.

No, no carpets. Just old and decrepit shelves. Have put in some bowls of bicarbonate and intend to attack it with vinegar and lemon yomorrow

It's possible that there is damp behind the wardrobes - do they have backs to them or can you see the wall at the back of the wardrobes to have a look?

Other than that keep up with the ventilation and odour absorbing - if everything was closed up for years and the windows were hardly ever opened it might take a while to get shot of. A bit like the dreadful smell of Lynx teen in one of the rooms in our house when we moved in!

Old-fashioned orange stuck with cloves is very effective, once the interior's been washed down with diluted vinegar , lemon juice or Zoflora. If you can stay in the room, it would be worthwhile burning a candle in the wardrobe, but keep an eye on it.

I second having a peek behind. You may need a bigger air space between the back of the wardrobe and the wall.

It was black mould city behind the wardrobe in one place I rented.

Agree about the mould. You could try putting down open containers of bicarbonate of soda. I don't know if it would work in your wardrobe but it works in fridges.

I used one of those silica sachets that come in new shoes, handbags, etc
Chucked in back of wardrobe - less than a week later all musty smells gone!

do these wardrobes back onto an external wall? In winter, I would suspect condensation, but at this time of year, I would be looking for wet on the outside, e.g. from dripping pipes or overflowing gutters blocked with leaves.

You need to have a look at the wall behind the wardrobes. If you can find and cure any source of damp, you can afterwards spray or wash down with dilute bleach. Wallpaper will not stand up to this well.

I've put bicarb in it, and used lots and lots if air fresheners. Windows and doors open all the time. It's definitely had an effect

can you remove the shelves?
if yes, take them to a hardware store and have new shelves cut. preferably cedar wood.
agree with others a good scrub down, airing, damp traps in the bottom will help.