I get where you’re coming from on the dehumidifier front—it’s definitely the most straightforward fix for a lot of folks. But I’ve actually had a couple projects where even with a good dehumidifier running, the closet still got musty. Turns out, the closet was on an exterior wall and just didn’t get any air movement at all, so moisture kept building up in there. Ended up swapping the solid door for one with a vent grille at the bottom (not a full louver, just a subtle vent), and that finally did the trick. Sometimes it’s not just about lowering humidity, but making sure air actually circulates through those dead zones. Just my two cents—sometimes you gotta try a combo of things before it clicks.
Sometimes it’s not just about lowering humidity, but making sure air actually circulates through those dead zones.
Yeah, I’ve run into that too. Even a powerful dehumidifier won’t help if the air’s just sitting there. I’ve had some luck with those stick-on vent fans you can mount inside the closet—pretty cheap and they keep things moving. Swapping doors is a good call, but sometimes just propping it open a crack makes a difference if you don’t want to get into carpentry. Mold’s stubborn, gotta attack it from all angles.
Swapping closet doors is a project I keep meaning to tackle, but honestly, just wedging an old shoe in there to keep it cracked has saved my sanity more than once. My house was built in the 1920s, so air circulation is basically a rumor around here. Those stick-on vent fans are a lifesaver, though—mine hums along like a little engine that could. Still, every rainy season, I find myself sniffing sweaters and muttering about “the must.” At least the frizzy hair gives me an excuse to wear hats...
I’ve seen a lot of folks try to outsmart old houses with quick fixes, but honestly, nothing beats actually swapping out those solid closet doors for something with a little airflow. Louvered doors aren’t the prettiest, but they do wonders for circulation—especially in these drafty old places where the walls seem to sweat every time it rains. Those stick-on vent fans help, sure, but if you’re still getting that musty smell, it’s probably time to look at what’s going on behind the scenes. Sometimes it’s not just about air movement; insulation and vapor barriers (or lack thereof) can make a huge difference.
Ever tried running a dehumidifier in the closet during the rainy season? I know it sounds like overkill, but I’ve seen it turn things around for clients with stubborn “must.” Curious if you’ve noticed any actual mold or just the smell? Sometimes it’s hiding in plain sight—like under baseboards or behind shelves.
I swapped out my closet doors for louvered ones last winter and it made a bigger difference than I expected—airflow really does help. But yeah, I still had that weird smell until I pulled the baseboards and found some gnarly old insulation just soaked through. Ended up running a little dehumidifier in there for a few weeks and it finally cleared up. Never realized how much moisture could hide behind the scenes... and my hair’s been way less frizzy since, which is a bonus.
