How to Get Rid of the Smell of Rotting Wood

Because it is an organic material, wood is subject to mildew growth and rotting when exposed to moisture. You can temporarily mask the odor of rotting wood by using air fresheners, but the only way to permanently eliminate the smell of rotting wood is to remove the source. Dry the wood out and remove mildew with an alkaline cleaner, or in some cases, replace severely rotted wood.

Fan
Dehumidifier
Trisodium phosphate
Bucket
Scrub brush

Instructions

- 1
  Locate the source of the rotting wood. Window frames or doors in a damp basement are prone to mildew and rotting. Brown spots on a ceiling or wall may indicate water dripping behind the drywall, causing the rotting wood smell. Outdoors, decks or even wood mulch may cause a rotting wood smell.
- 2
  Fix dripping pipes or seal leaks, and run fans, open windows or turn up the heat to dry wood out. Run a dehumidifier if the rotting wood smell is caused by excessive humidity.
- 3
  Mix 10 tablespoons trisodium phosphate with 1 gallon warm water in a bucket. Scrub the damaged wood with this cleaning solution to remove mildew. Allow the wood to thoroughly dry.
- 4
  Open windows and run fans to remove the odor of rotting wood. Once mildew is removed or the rotting wood replaced, the odor dissipates within a few days.

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