How to keep wardrobe smelling fresh

There’s nothing nicer than opening your wardrobe and getting a whiff of your favourite fabric conditioner. The last thing you want is a musty wardrobe to ruin it. If you smell something a bit funky when you open the door, read our guide to find out what causes musty closet smells and the best way to get rid of them.

How to get rid of the musty smell in the wardrobe

1. Start by taking everything out of your wardrobe. Sniff to check if the unpleasant odour has sunk down into fabrics and rewash any clothes that smell funky.
2. Check your wardrobe all over to see if there’s any mould that could be causing the pong.  
3. Time to get the vacuum out. Hoover up any dirt or dust bunnies that might have made it their home.
4. Thoroughly spray the wardrobe with Bio one™. Make sure it’s fully covered and very damp as that’s when Bio one™ works its magic. 
5. Leave the solution to soak into the surface for five to ten minutes.
6. Wipe the closet with a damp cloth and leave it to dry naturally. If it needs more work, repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. If you can, keep the wardrobe empty and the doors wide open for a few days. Any extra time to dry and air out will help with the stench.

Why Bio one™

Bio one™ is  a 100% natural enzyme cleaner. The product’s powerful cleaning ability comes from a live solution of helpful bacteria, which work to eliminate stains and stubborn smells from sweaty garments, shoes or even bags. Bio one™ can also help tackle mould that might have started developing if items are hung up or folded when they’re still slightly damp. Bio one™ is non-toxic, vegan and eco-friendly so if your cat snuggles in your closet or your little one chooses it as the perfect hiding place – it’s totally safe for children and animals.

We know that sometimes, in a game of hide and seek, your little one might choose your wardrobe as a hiding place. So, our cleaner is kid-friendly. There aren’t any toxic fumes, so feel free to use them around them.

What causes your wardrobe to smell

Typically, our wardrobes are overflowing with clothes, bags and shoes. We don’t like to admit it but they often become a hot spot for hiding away random bits and bobs too. As a campsite for all miscellaneous items, it can be tricky to figure out what’s causing a smell. The culprit might be one grubby garment or it could be a build-up of mould or mildew. The latter are types of fungus with a distinctive rotten-egg odour that can be tricky to remove. If you think you might have mould or mildew lurking in the closet, get in touch with a specialist who can advise you.

Tips for keeping clothes fresh in the wardrobe

Now you’ve got your wardrobe smelling fresh again, you’ll want to keep it that way. To avoiding ending up back at square one, here’s a few simple tips to keep it smelling great:

• Don’t overfill your wardrobe or cram clothes together. Spacing items out evenly gives them more room to breathe and stops damp from spreading.
• Before you store away items in your closet, always make sure they’re fully dry. If you hang up or fold damp clothing, it traps excess moisture in the closet and could cause mould or mildew.
• Choose a long-lasting fabric softener, with a scent you like, to keep your clothes and the space they’re stored smelling wonderful.
• Put some lavender amongst your clothing. This is a classic way of giving your garments a fresh fragrance. If you’re not a fan of lavender or any perfumed scent, you can keep a small bowl of baking soda in your wardrobe to absorb smells. (Just remember to place it somewhere it can’t be knocked over.) 
• Try not to store your shoes in the wardrobe. Trainers and boots are particularly bad at holding onto odours and harbouring bad bacteria which could make the surrounding area stinky too. If you do need to use the wardrobe, don’t pop them in straight after wearing – give them a chance to air out.
• If you have a pet with tricky toilet habits, don’t let them make a mess on your clean clothes. Keep your wardrobe shut or even locked so they can’t get in there and use it as a loo.

What are enzymes?

Don’t be fooled to think that because enzymes are natural they are less effective than chemical cleaners. Enzymes are nature’s very own powerful cleaning tools. Making them the go to choice for customers who do not want to spray harmful chemicals around their home.

Simply put, enzymes are all around us performing millions of important tasks in our bodies and in nature every single day. They are a type of protein that act like a biological catalyst to speed up the break down of organic compounds.

Similarly to how saliva, (which contains enzymes), initiates the digestion process by breaking down food in our mouths, cleaning enzymes use the same ‘enzymatic digestion’ to effectively break down and eradicate the organic proteins present in urine, faeces, vomit, drool, dirt, food, and more.

This process not only makes cleaning easier but also prevents the growth of bad bacteria – the root cause of those unpleasant odours – in the air, on surfaces, and within the fibres of your soft furnishings.

Try out Bio one™ today, vomit and the other nasties is what nature created enzymes for.