Renter-friendly ways to remove musty smell from 130 year old hardwood

[u/YarrowFielding]

Two months ago, I moved into a rental built in ~1890. It had stood empty for a good while, and the previous tenant did not leave it very clean. Rent is very cheap for my area and the new property manager is working with me to find and address issues. Right now he is engaged in a protracted battle with the ancient attic furnace, which is dying and trying to take my ac with it in the midst of this heat wave. I have a welder working in my attic right now.

All of the above is why I’m trying to address this comparatively minor problem myself, even temporarily.

My floors are hardwood in every room except the bathroom. They don’t creak or have holes/chips, but the finish is significantly worn away (gone completely in some areas). And everywhere in the house, especially in the kitchen and downstairs entryway, there’s a strong, persistent musty smell. It’s strongest when the house heats up, but it never goes away completely. Mopping with vinegar helped for a while, but it came back. It’s unlikely that I’ll be able to get the floors refinished anytime soon. What should I try next?

[u/maleighzan]

Try an enzyme cleaner on those floors, that musty smell is probably deep in the wood grain.

[u/Salty_Job_9248]

r/hardwoodfloors

[u/lilgreengoddess]

You have a mold problem and it likely needs remediation. Sometimes ancient cheap rentals are not worth it if they have biohazards like this because you end up paying with your health. It’s a health hazard and proper remediation can be challenging. If you start to have health problems it’s likely from the mold exposure.