Thread: How to get rid of a musty smell in an old machine

I am a newbie and found an old Singer (50's) in it's case in a big plastic bag. It smells musty and I have tried airing it out in the sun, packing it with newspapers, putting some vanilla in it, but so far no luck. Any ideas?? :?:

Baking soda absorbs odors, if you could find a container to put it in and cover the machine along with the baking soda. It will probably take a few days, or maybe a week or two.

There are probably others with better ideas, too.

Also wipe it down as much as possible with a damp cloth and baking soda, getting into the nooks and crannies as best you can. Rinse the cloth in the baking soda water often.

I put some charcoal briquettes in one and it got rid of the smell. Then leave a downey dryer sheet in it.

ahhhhh I thought I read somewhere that LIGHT will kill the mold spores - and that maybe what's making it smell.

AT YOUR RISK - try putting a light in it - BUT WATCH IT - KEEP IT WITHIN EYE SIGHT - DON"T LEAVE THE HOUSE.

I've never tried it - just read it somewhere on one of the forums for older machines - don't know it it'll work or if it's just old wives tales.

Good luck

Maybe set a bowl of vinegar on the floor and set the case over it for a few days? Or lightly sponge on some vinegar?

The only thing that took a yucky smell out of some shoes my DD bought was fabreeze.... we had tried everything else & I hadn't even heard of fabreeze.....worked great, couldn't believe it!

My featherweight had a case that smelled musty. I got some Odor Eaters shoe insoles (the ones with carbon in them) and put one in the case. No more musty smell!

I've had great luck using those little packets that come in a box with new shoes. Throw a few in the case and wait a few days. Good luck!

Cat litter...(new), bounce fabric sheets, those pkg that comes with new shoes, baking soda usually works. did on my fw, took about a week or so though.

The packages that come with shoes are silica gel. You can get it at craft stores because it is used for drying flowers. I put some in each of my machine's cases because I live in a moist climate.