Keep Closets From Smelling Musty With Moisture Absorbers

That musty smell in the guest closet or the one on an outside wall is trapped humidity — closets get no airflow and no AC vent, so damp air just sits there seasoning your clothes.

Dry it out

• Put a moisture-absorber tub (the calcium chloride kind) on the closet floor and replace it when the crystals are spent.
• Leave the closet door cracked or louvered doors doing their job — sealed closets in Florida are mold farms.
• Don't pack clothes tight. Airflow between garments is free dehumidification.
• Never store leather goods or important papers in a chronically damp closet — leather mildews fast and paper follows.

If one closet stays damp no matter what, feel the walls: a cold spot can mean the AC duct sweats nearby or a small leak — worth finding the cause instead of feeding it absorber tubs forever.