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My basement flooded, and even after it dried out, the musty smell stayed. So I tried these odor bombs first.
We had major rain and I found my basement flooded on a Sunday morning. I’ve had carpet fans, floor dryers, a dehumidifier and air purifiers going, and I threw a lot of stuff away. Everything is dry now, but it still smells musty, and it’s giving me allergy-like symptoms. Before going nuclear, I tried the simple, cheap fix: Big D 344 Odor Control foggers in Mountain Air.
- Musty smell was gone when I came back
- Easy: lock the top and leave
- Covers a lot of area
- Cheap compared to bigger fixes
- Scent is strong at first
- Can mask some mustiness rather than fix the source
- Clear the room; you don’t want it in your face
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
Why basements smell musty
I’m no scientist, but here’s my understanding. There’s organic material everywhere, like wood shelves, stairs and desks, plus bugs and skin cells. Over time it dries out and doesn’t smell. When water rehydrates it, it starts releasing that smell again, and even after it dries, it lingers.
I’ve used foggers in cars, and those are more scent than deodorizer. This one says Odor Control and promises to get rid of odors rather than just mask them.
Setting it off
I put it in front of a floor fan to push it around, and turned the furnace and air conditioning off so it stayed in the basement. Press the top down until it locks, set it down and get out.
It took about 60 seconds to empty, and I got a little spray in the face. It smelled good, kind of like Lysol, but a little overwhelming. My basement is big and smells bad, so I set off a second one.
Hours later
I ran errands for four or five hours, because when you’re home you get used to the smell. Coming back from fresh air is the real test.
It smelled like hand soap, but I didn’t smell the mustiness. That’s a pretty good result. It’s possible the scent is overpowering the musty smell, and I think the soapy smell will fade, but for a cheap, easy fix that covers a lot of area, I’m really pleased.
FAQ
How many cans do I need?
The can says 6,000 cubic feet. I used two in a large, full-length basement.
How long does a can take to empty?
About 60 seconds.
Should I stay in the room?
No. Lock it on and leave, with the furnace and air conditioning off.
What does it smell like?
Strong at first. Hours later it smelled like hand soap.
Is this an affiliate link?
Yes. The buttons are #ad affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra.
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