I hear you on painting those slats—it’s a nightmare to get a smooth finish in all those nooks. If you’re thinking about trim, keep it minimal or dust really does pile up. I’ve swapped knobs for bigger ones and honestly, it made opening the doors easier, but not much of a style upgrade. About those magnetic vent covers: they do block airflow, so you might get more moisture trapped inside, which is a mold risk. Have you tried using a small dehumidifier in the closet instead? That’s worked better for me than blocking vents. Curious if the mold or the frizz is the bigger headache for you right now...
Honestly, I’d take frizzy hair over mold any day—at least you can slap on a hat and call it a look. Had a closet go full science experiment on me last summer. Ended up ripping out the baseboards and running a dehumidifier nonstop. Magnetic vent covers just made it worse for me, too. If you’re dealing with both, I’d tackle the mold first...hair’s easier to fix than ruined clothes.
Had the same nightmare last spring—opened my closet and it smelled like a swamp. Ended up yanking out drywall and scrubbing everything with vinegar. Frizzy hair’s annoying, but at least it doesn’t eat your shoes... Mold’s a whole different beast.
Frizzy hair’s annoying, but at least it doesn’t eat your shoes... Mold’s a whole different beast.
Can’t argue with that—mold is relentless. Here’s what I’ve seen work:
- Ventilation is your best friend. Even a small vent or louvered door helps.
- Dehumidifier in the closet? Game changer for some clients.
- If you’re pulling drywall, check insulation—sometimes it’s trapping moisture.
- Vinegar’s good, but follow up with a mold-resistant primer if you repaint.
Pulled apart more than one closet where the real issue was a sneaky roof leak... worth double-checking if the smell comes back.
Mold really is a sneaky little monster. I had a closet in one of my flips that looked totally fine from the outside, but every time you opened the door, it hit you with that musty, “something’s not right” smell. I kept scrubbing and airing it out, but it always came back. Turns out, there was a tiny crack in the exterior wall behind the closet—rainwater was seeping in just enough to keep things damp, but not enough to make it obvious. Took me way too long to find it.
Pulled apart more than one closet where the real issue was a sneaky roof leak... worth double-checking if the smell comes back.
This is spot on. Sometimes it’s not even the roof—could be a pipe sweating or a window that doesn’t seal right. I’ve learned to trust my nose and just start poking around if something smells off.
I’ll second the dehumidifier tip, too. Had one place where the closet backed up to a bathroom, and the steam just kept creeping in. Little plug-in dehumidifier made a huge difference. Not glamorous, but it works.
Funny thing is, I used to think “mold-resistant primer” was just marketing hype, but after repainting a closet with it, I’m a convert. The old stains never came back, and it actually stayed fresh for once. Vinegar’s good for cleaning, but that primer is like insurance.
Frizzy hair’s got nothing on moldy shoes, honestly. At least hair dries out eventually... shoes just get ruined.
