How to Make Your Custom Closets Smell Good

Heather Towner • August 12, 2022

Keeping your custom closet smelling fresh can be a little more difficult than you might’ve anticipated when you first had it installed. There are few things less tragic than having a persistent, musty smell in an otherwise beautiful custom closet.

If you want to improve the smell in your closet and keep it that way, you’ll need to do a combination of detail work and preventative maintenance, but it can be done.

Once you’re ready to freshen up your custom closet, you should:

Root out any foul-smelling culprits.
Deal with mildew and mold before it spreads.
Create and stick to a regular cleaning schedule.
Only store dry clothing in your closet.
Invest in some wooden hangers.
Make use of spare baking soda.

Now let’s take a closer look at each of these steps in detail so you can get the freshness you’re looking for in your custom closet.

Root Out Any Foul-Smelling Culprits

Before you get into preventative maintenance, you’ll want to do a thorough search and make sure there isn’t something in your closet that’s causing the bad odor. This could be anything from dirty clothes to old shoes, or even an excess of dust.

Whatever the culprit might be, dealing with the source of the problem should be your first step toward keeping your custom closet smelling fresh.

Deal With Mildew and Mold Before It Spreads

Closets can often become a haven for mildew and mold. Once either of these takes root, it doesn’t take long for them to spread - especially in dark, closed-off environments. Luckily, you can deal with a moldy spot on the wall without breaking the bank.

Grab a spare spray bottle and put in two caps of bleach. Fill the rest of the bottle with hot water, and saturate the affected area with your new solution. You'll want to test a small area ahead of time to make sure it doesn't discolor the paint, and be careful not to get the spray on any clothing, c loset organizers, carpeting, or anything else that could be damaged.

Create and Stick to a Regular Cleaning Schedule

Not only will making a cleaning schedule keep your new custom closet looking its best, but it will also allow you to catch problems in their infancy and root them out before they become a major issue.

Consider setting a recurring event reminder to go off on your phone, preferably on the weekend or whenever you might have the most free time.

Only Store Dry Clothing in Your Closet

It can’t be overstated just how pervasive of a problem storing damp clothes in your closet can be. Left unchecked, mildew can form on the clothes themselves, mold can spread on your walls, and a musty odor can form. Even after dealing with the source of the smell, it could take some time for you to fully clear out the smell.

If you have a laundry room, consider storing wet or dirty clothes there, in the open air. Whenever possible, only keep dry garments in your closet.

Invest in Some Wooden Hangers

Wooden hangers might not be the first thing you’d think to buy when looking to root out bad odors in your custom closet, but they can work wonders. Unlike plastic hangers, wooden hangers can absorb bad odors before they become a major problem.

If you really want to freshen up the space, you can even spray some lavender on your wooden hangers. Feel free to experiment and try out a few different fragrances to find what works best for you.

Make Use of Spare Baking Soda

As Martha Stewart notes, baking soda isn’t just for keeping your refrigerator smelling fresh anymore. Just as you might keep an open container on your fridge shelf to absorb bad odors, the same principle applies in your closet.

Be sure to keep the container in an area that you won’t come in contact with often. The last thing you want is to accidentally knock over and spill the baking soda. You can also experiment with some homemade potpourri by taking herbs and spices and putting them in an open container to diffuse the scent.

Conclusion

If you’ve had a custom closet installed in your home, then you know there’s a particular type of panic that comes with realizing the space doesn’t smell good. By following these steps and getting a little creative in your approach, your custom closet should be right back to smelling fresh in no time at all!