I have an old built-in wardrobe in my bedroom, and even with the doors closed everything smells damp in there. Underwear and clothes absorb the odor. I've tried activated charcoal and silica gel, but they don't really help much. Is there some tried-and-tested method out there?
Sorbents like activated charcoal and silica gel are more of a preventative measure than a cure. If the smell has already soaked in and is lingering, they won't help much. The key is figuring out the source. Built-in wardrobes often suffer from poor air circulation and humidity that gets trapped inside. Don't just cram the wardrobe with air fresheners or perfumes - they'll only mask the problem while moisture keeps building up.
First, check if water is leaking from the roof, if there's condensation on the walls, or if there are cracks in the wall behind the wardrobe. If the wardrobe is on an external cold wall, that's often what causes dampness. If the wall's fine, the main thing is to improve ventilation. Keep the doors open more often, especially during the day. You can drill a few holes in the side or back panels of the wardrobe (if it won't wreck the look) - that'll allow air to circulate. Store your clothes a bit more loosely, not tightly packed, so air can flow between them.
At the same time, put a dehumidifier in your bedroom or at least air out the room more often. If you don't have a dehumidifier, an open bucket of lime or special moisture absorbers work (they're pricey, but they do the job). Hang your clothes from the wardrobe out in the sun from time to time - natural drying does wonders for getting rid of smells. As the humidity drops over time, the old smell goes away on its own.
The problem is that built-in wardrobes are often installed right into exterior walls or corners where moisture accumulates. Sorbents are just masking the symptom if the dampness is coming from the wall or through gaps. Try first to figure out where it's coming from: hold a mirror against the back wall and ceiling of the wardrobe for a few minutes. If the mirror fogs up - that's where the moisture is coming from, not just stagnant air.
If that's the case, you need to improve ventilation. Drill a few 8-10 millimeter holes in the back wall of the wardrobe (at the bottom and top) or in the sides if the wall faces outside. Even a little air circulation works wonders. At the same time, run a dehumidifier in the room periodically, especially in the evenings. It's chronically cheaper than dealing with the smell later.
A hack that works for me: wrap a lump of baking soda (not sugar) in thin fabric, put it in the darkest corner of the wardrobe and leave it alone for a week. Baking soda absorbs odor differently than charcoal, and if air starts to circulate, the effect is more noticeable. Plus you can hang newspaper around the wardrobe - it absorbs odors and moisture at the same time. Change the newspaper once a week until things improve.
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