Inside surfaces often likely cause for moldy odor
Q. I have an old wood nightstand with the original finish that has a bad odor. I washed it with Murphy’s Oil Soap and put it on a porch for a couple of months to air out, but it still smells. Can you help?
A. The odor is probably not coming from the finished surface of the stand; it more likely originates in unfinished surfaces such as the inside of drawers, underside of the top, and interior of the sides and bottom.
These surfaces are sometimes left unfinished, and the exposed wood can absorb moisture in time and develop a musty, unpleasant odor. In some cases, mold can form and contribute to the odor.
Bring the piece indoors and remove and empty the drawers, open any doors and let the interior dry out thoroughly. Examine the inside surfaces and if you see any mold, remove it by wiping with a solution of one cup chlorine bleach and a little dishwashing detergent in a gallon of warm water. Make sure the detergent does not contain ammonia.
When the interior is thoroughly dry and clean, finish all bare surfaces with two coats of shellac, sold at any paint store or home center. The shellac will lock in any remaining odor.
Incidentally, Murphy’s Oil Soap is a fine cleaner but not necessarily the best treatment for furniture finishes. You can buy special cleaners for furniture and cabinets at any home center and I recommend one of these to clean the piece in the future.
Q. Our family room has two skylights that get drafty in winter. I would like to install some kind of interior storm windows to help insulate them. I don’t like the appearance of plastic sheeting. What other options do I have?
A. Light-weight acrylic interior storm windows are available that have a neat appearance and will help insulate the skylights. The problems include finding the right size windows and finding a way to attach them to the inside surface of the skylight shafts.
It is best to put the windows over the inside opening of the skylights, both to provide easy access and to form an air space between the skylight and storm window that will improve the insulating ability.
Many interior storm windows have magnetic fasteners that permit easy installation and removal, and you should be able to find a way to use these fasteners around the skylight opening. An online source of custom-made windows is www.innerg windows.com.
If you can’t find ready-made storm windows that will fit, you should be able to buy acrylic sheets at a building-supply outlet and cut them to size.
You could build wood frames around the inside openings of the skylights and attach the acrylic with screws, but make the screw holes oversize and don’t screw them too tight or the acrylic might crack.
Q. I have an older house with steam heat. The oil company cleans the heater every year but I also have trouble with the radiators and pipes. What can I do about that?
A. I am sure the oil company does a good job of cleaning your burner and flue, but you also need periodic checks and adjustments to the entire steam system. Steam heat is not nearly as popular in homes as it once was, and you might have to shop around to find a technician who is familiar with it.
If you can find someone who can handle the entire job including the burner, you should continue the annual checkups. Otherwise, let the oil company continue to handle the burner and have the steam technician check the rest of the system every couple of years and give you some tips on regular maintenance.