Musty smell

[clarsen0829]

Just bought a1992 AS 34" Excella 1000. There is a very musty smell. It was in storage for 2 years maybe that explains it. Will I need to remove the walls? ..kinda afraid to see what's behind them..Any suggestions very appreciated.

[AlinCal]

Look for wet or rotted subfloor wherever you can access

[BigSxyWhtGuy]

Musty because it’s been sitting or musty like there may be something dead somewhere?
Have you tried opening the windows and running some fans to try and circulate the air?

[Daquenzer]

Cushions, mattresses, wood, just about anything that can absorb water can cause a musty smell.
1). Air out the cushions and mattresses first. These may need to be replaced. Very hard to get musty smell out of cushions.
2). Fabric. Wash and/or treat.
3). I don’t know what kind of interior walls, but I would suggest washing with anti-microbial. Hopefully that works. If that doesn’t work you might try using shellack on cabinets where there is a wood surface. That will encapsulate the smell.
4). Floor...flooring. Probably should put in new flooring. If you have to put in new flooring then I suggest painting the wood (if its good) with KILZ. That will definitely get rid of the smell. I used this as an apartment manager to get rid of cat pee smell. It works.

Good luck.

[Foiled Again]

Musty? Rotting plywood/oriented strand board can give.off that odor, but usually with a heavy chemical companion stink.
Your upholstered stuff is about 30 years old. It would be easier and quite possibly less expensive to assume that the foam has gone toxic and the fabric is fragile. Make patterns and toss the original. Carpet? Trash it.
Are the walls vinyl covered? Some people like the look, and it DOES provide a miniscule amount of insulation... unlike rolling up against the shiney aluminum wall in your sleep in a current International model. Even so, that vinyl does break down chemically over time. Tobacco.use makes that worse. Some people scrub it and use liquid floor polish on it, again removing it, replacing it or painting are options. Your choice. LOTS of renovation stories here to provide options. I saw one trailer with a bedroom that had a deep blue vinyl glued on, and silver stars screwed into the interior walls... very Star Trek.
If you really like some of the vintage curtains you can try dry cleaning or soaking in a weak oxygen bleach solution and hanging to dry out of direct sun.
Dig in until you eliminate the smells... you don't want any coming back after you button up and redecorate.
I would personally use this forum to locate vintage owners and rallies nearby. People who have been there can save you lots.of angst, time and money... and most share their knowledge gladly.

[79nTOW]

To help eliminate odors pour about a cup of dry coffee in an aluminum pie plate and place one in each area. Great for the refrigerator also. This has always worked for me, especially when the weather has been damp. A very cost effective method. Predeta

[clarsen0829]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions..I will be coming to this site frequently with questions in the coming months as I begin the renovation.

[Mollysdad]

Let me suggest an Ozone generator.
I guess commercial places use them to help repair smoke damage.
When I sold my last RV, I expected it to be musty so I bought one of the home units. Ozone is the smell of air after a lightning storm. You cannot stay inside while it runs since Ozone is bad? for you.
An Ozone generator is basically a box with a fan and a charged electrical plate.
I've run it in my truck after long trips and I like the smell.
Here's mine

[Foiled Again]

Ozone generators work, but also degrade plastic and make it almost crumble, it breaks so easily.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Ozone generators work, but also degrade plastic and make it almost crumble, it breaks so easily.

I did a small amount of research. I discovered that anything that can kill off mold and musty orders can kill off organic materials too. Rubber seems to be the most vulnerable. Elastic bands.
My ozone generator has a timer and the max time is 2 hours.
Then I give it a good airing out.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll use it more sparingly now.

[lakemaiden]

CLarsen, I recently purchased a 1966 Caravel that had been shuttered for 8 years, and stored outside under a tent-like structure. Critters Def had taken up residence. I got rid of all the store bought curtains along with the plastic bathroom "door" (start fresh with a new one, or you can save the interior structures and the hardware to create a new one from fabric). Airing out the cushions only made them off gas worse, so if you are going to try to salvage the cushions, then you need to remove the covers and leave the cushions out for a few days...in a shaded place. If the cushions smell of petroleum, there is nothing you will be able to do to fix that, as they will release noxious gases every time it gets hot. I had 2 like that and out they went. I decided to purchase new fabrics and cushions but I am using some of the old cushions in the interim, wrapped in clean blankets.

I washed EVERY surface (starting with the celings) with hot water and vinegar, then left the windows open and the Fantastic fan running for days. Don't forget wheel wells, etc. And I vacuumed everything that was horizontal with a Dewalt small job shop vac.

You've got to get up in the crevices of the oven hood as well, and clean or replace the filter. I used baking soda in the refrig.

I have friends in the antique business who offered me their ionizer, which de-mustifies old pieces in a much safer way, and without risk of carbon emissions. Insurance co's use these after a fire/flood. I decided to wait to see how the rest of my efforts turned out. Those included hand sanding all of the wooden cabinets and finishing them with a furniture finishing wax...not sure whether this is doable in your excella, but it made an immediate difference, in look and smell.

The one place that still has a residual smell is the front cabinet to the right of the front door. There is floor rot in one corner, so that is going to have to get replaced.

Finally, invest in an EPA-approved HEPA filter. It will make a radical difference and is safe for persons with alergies and asthma.

Sanitizing the commode also is a must, but there are numerous threads on that topic! (Speaking from experience).

It's a lot of work, but definitely worth it. Good luck!

[clarsen0829]

Thanks everyone for suggestions! New problem....removed upper cabinets and wardrobe in hallway...discovered vent, plumbing, and electrical. Was going to make the hallway open?? Any suggestions for moving this or covering it?? THANKS

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

Let me suggest an Ozone generator.
. . .

Exactly the same unit we use in a summer cottage. It does a great job!

Peter

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by clarsen0829

Thanks everyone for suggestions! New problem....removed upper cabinets and wardrobe in hallway...discovered vent, plumbing, and electrical. Was going to make the hallway open?? Any suggestions for moving this or covering it?? THANKS

Moving . . . not without LOTS of extra work and expense!

The plumbing vent will be the toughest thing to move IMO.

Maybe post some photos, in order to stay ahead of your work with proactive planning? Lots of knowledgeable folks here could have told you to expect the things you "discovered."

Good luck,

Peter

[Alumaholic]

I believe the '92 came with carpet.
If this is true, the twenty-seven year old carpet and the pad beneath must be the removed before you can even begin to find and eliminate other sources of musty odor.
This will also expose the sub-floor and any musty water damage.