How To Make Your Closet & Clothes Smell Great

Dampness and the resulting mildew is a common cause of nasty closet odors1 as it produces a distinctive smell. Closet spaces are usually filled to the brim with clothing, shoes, and more often than not, used as extra storage space for miscellaneous items. This leads to poor air circulation and stuffiness which only makes dampness worse.

Dampness can either come from freshly laundered clothing which hasn’t been sufficiently dried before storing, or from worn-in sweaty shoes. Lingering odors could also be the result of storing dirty laundry on the floor of your closet as this might lead to a build-up of sweaty, stagnant odors. 

Your closet walls and flooring could also be the source of the problem² if the room itself has poor air circulation, or condensation from an en-suite bathroom isn’t being effectively extracted³. This combination of a lack of air flow, high humidity and moderate temperature provides mildew with the perfect breeding ground to spread to clothing and the surrounding closet structure (ceiling, walls, carpet/ flooring).     

There is no quick fix to permanently deodorizing your closet, but with a little trial and error you should be able to deal with the source of the problem and get your clothing smelling fresh again.

What you will need:

Baking soda (for absorbing moisture and bad odors in fabrics)

White Vinegar (for neutralizing bad odors on hard surfaces)

Step 1: Remove all contents from the closet, including items on the floor, hangers, and shelves.

Step 2: Sprinkle baking soda on the closet’s carpet and vacuum after an hour. This should help absorb excess moisture and remove unpleasant odors that could be lingering in the carpet fabrics.¹

Step 3: Fill a spray bottle with a mixture of half water, half white vinegar. Test it on a hidden spot first to see if the mixture causes any adverse reaction on surfaces. Next gently spray all the surfaces in the closet, including the walls, shelves and ceiling. If you have hard flooring also spray with the mixture. Don’t worry about the smell of vinegar, this will disappear soon after evaporating.⁴

Step 4: Give the room with your closet a thorough cleaning, paying special attention to dust and any damp patches.

Step 5: Placing a bowl of baking soda in the closet will help absorb lingering smells in the air. Make sure you remove the bowl after 24 hours.¹

To prevent your closet from smelling again, ensure your closet space is damp-free and well-ventilated in the future. Try not to pack clothes in too tightly, and make sure all clothes are clean and dry when folding away. You can also place activated charcoal in your closet space with, or instead of the baking soda – this can help absorb odors in your closet space^{5, 6}.