There are actually four possible reasons why the house floor has a foul smell. Here are some tips on how to quickly and effectively solve them.
1. Water quality issues
One of the reasons why the floor emits a strong odor is due to water quality issues. The water we often use contains minerals and microorganisms, but there are also some places where it contains additional substances.
For example, organic matter and adhesive impurities. These substances can cause changes in the water. After the process of metabolism or decay, trimethylamine, dimethyl sulfide, and other special odor components will be produced. These organic substances in the water will linger on the ground, causing an unpleasant odor when they evaporate into the air. That’s why you still smell a foul odor after just mopping the floor.
2. Moldy mop
After cleaning the floor, many people have the habit of placing the mop in the bathroom. The bathroom environment in most houses is dark and humid. When the mop is not exposed to sunlight, it stimulates the growth of mold, which quickly grows inside the mop fibers and causes an odor.
The longer the mop stays damp, the more severe the odor becomes. When using a dirty mop to clean the floor, it’s natural for a foul odor to appear on the ground. Therefore, after use, you should develop the habit of cleaning and drying the mop in the sun. By doing this simple step, the mop will always be dry and mold will not have a chance to grow.
Tips for dealing with moldy mop:
Ingredients: salt, baking soda, dishwashing liquid
Steps:
– Rinse and wash the mop head.
– Place salt, baking soda, and dishwashing liquid in a bucket of boiling water, then soak the mop in it for 10 minutes. Under the influence of heat and anti-mold chemicals, bacteria will be eliminated. After 10 minutes, rinse again with clean water, squeeze out the water, and let it dry in a ventilated area.
3. Damp flooring
The type of flooring material used requires different cleaning methods. Many people prefer to use wooden floors because they are not only clean but also elegant. However, when using wooden floors, you should avoid using too much water to mop the floor, otherwise, the floor will absorb water over time.
Wooden floors can crack when exposed to moisture and emit a musty odor. In reality, many people have the habit of mopping the floor multiple times a week, which will inevitably increase the speed of floor moisture and leave an unpleasant odor behind.
4. Damp and moldy tile gaps
Tile floors are not prone to having a foul smell during use, but the grout between the tiles can have a musty odor. The reason is that if low-quality adhesive is used when tiling, the grout will become moldy when exposed to water. If mold appears, it will produce an unpleasant odor.
How to solve the foul smell on the floor?
1. Remove the mold
If your floor is made of tiles or other materials and has mold problems in the tile gaps, you can do the following:
– Clean the tiled surface
– Apply an anti-mold gel to the grout lines, and the mold will disappear quickly.
– After applying, wait for about three hours, then wipe the grout again, and the unpleasant odor will naturally disappear.
2. Reduce the frequency of floor mopping
Many people like to mop the floor multiple times, which can indeed clean the floor, but it will also make the floor damp during use. Floors made of other materials may not be seriously affected if they become damp, but if wooden floors become damp, it can cause various problems such as discoloration, cracking, and an unpleasant musty smell.
By An Nhiên – Vietnamnet
