Have 30's-era heavy wood dresser and chest that can look good but the chest drawers smell musty. Do I save it or toss it

Molly
by Molly
I could make the outside look good but the heavy old chest drawers that smell musty will make me sick if I bring them into the house. The lines and inlay are pretty, as is the mirror. Suggestions about dealing with the smell?
  5 answers
  • Karen Newman-Trail Karen Newman-Trail on Aug 16, 2012
    to get rid of the musty smell, wipe inside of drawers with a mixture of baking soda then put outside in the hot sun for a day or two...vacum the drawers and they should be good as new...
  • Jeanne Jeanne on Aug 16, 2012
    Turn it into a book case
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Aug 17, 2012
    you can just sprinkle the dry baking soda in there as well...it works a lot like those carpet fresheners. you can follow up with some real cedar wood shavings...that you can get at a pet stroe
  • Leslie Leslie on Dec 23, 2015
    If there is mold in the drawers then a solution of bleach and water should be used to clean up the drawers. and then as Karen suggested put out on a hot sunny day. You can put in a spray bottle and just spray well. Then after the bleach bath and everything is dry and you can't smell the mustiness use the baking soda to get rid of any telltale bleach smell. Usually a musty smell means some kind of mold so I would most likely go with the bleach bath first. Good luck :)
  • Verna Mae Schlueter Verna Mae Schlueter on Feb 18, 2016
    kitty litter works good on funky smells like in old suit cases and trunks but if its mold not sure