Musty mold smell?

Hi! I'm assuming you've already scrubbed it. Did you let it dry outside in the sun? I've got a couple tricks to add. Consider sanding and sealing the inside. Old wood absorbs smells, especially if it got damp. I like Kilz3 because I used it to save a ceiling that had gotten stained from a leak and it worked! I've used various other Kilz on different projects, but, this was the best one so far. Buy an inexpensive container of ground coffee and let it sit in the cabinet. I've used it for getting rid of musty smells and paint smells and it really works (and smells good). My other go to costs more, but can be used over and over - bamboo charcoal. My favorite is a brand called Miso that I buy online, preferably on sale. Any and all of these have worked for me. Good luck!

My girlfriend got the smell out using those cone incense on a metal ashtray inside the piece until the smell went away.

Wash the inside of the cabinet with a mixture of vinegar and water - 50/50. Put it out in the sun to dry. If there's still an odor, put a bowl of vinegar in the cabinet for a day to absorb it.

Hello a furniture piece?

I have seen a blogger recommended vodka.

This resource Stinky Dresser Makeover | Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer link has the answer.

https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/stinky-dresser-makeover/

Wipe down with vinegar to remove mold spores. Clean with OdoBan. It is a disinfectant as we as deodorizer. You might have to light sand it as well. Although I had one piece that I could not get the smell out of, even with charcoal, so I ended up priming with Kilz and then painting the interior which fixed it.

Charcoal bbq briquettes placed in plastic containers inside the piece will absorb a lot of the odor. It worked in my musty basement.

Here are 5 ways to clear the smell out:

https://salvagedinspirations.com/how-to-remove-musty-mothy-moldy-smells-from-wood-furniture/

Sunshine is a wonderful start. Putting crumpled newspaper and sprinkling the shelves with baking soda will also help they both absorb odors. Let them sit inside with doors closed for about a week. Make sure you gave it (and cracks) a thorough washing with dish detergent first.

If all else fails you can seal the odor in the wood.

How to Eliminate Odors in Wood

Your best hope for sealing in any odors is shellac. It makes an excellent barrier coat over all wood species, and it sticks to almost anything. Zinsser makes a great product for this purpose, called Bullseye SealCoat. It’s a clear dewaxed shellac that you can apply to those drawer interiors easily with a brush. It dries quickly and should help to diminish mice, mildew, musty, smoke, urine smell. And since it doesn’t contain wax, you can apply other finishes like lacquer or varnish over it — they’ll stick just fine. SealCoat is also handy to have around the shop as a general purpose wood finish and sanding sealer. So, I’m sure you’ll find other uses for what’s left of the quart you buy.

Clean it with Odoban you can purchase this in Costco, Home Depot or Lowes

Guess I am the only one that doesn't know what a wash cabinet is (is it a vanity?). But here are general ways to remove odor.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-a-Musty-Smell-in-Your-House

I would try some bowls of baking soda to help neutralize the scent.

Thank you for all the great ideas. I have my weekend to work on this. Have a great weekend...