How do I get a musty smell from an oak table that was stored in a basement?

I purchased a beautiful oak table from a friend. He bought 3 of these tables from a store going out of business and stored two of them for several years. About a day after the table go here I noticed a musty odor from it. What should I use to clean it?How do I get a musty smell from an oak table that was stored in a basement?
As long as it's not an antique or very delicate you can ';steam it';.



This means you put it in the bathroom and then turn the shower on very hot and let the room fill up with steam. Note: Do not put it in the water!!



After about 10 - 15 minutes wash it down from top to bottom with a liberal ammount of murphy's oil or lemon soap cleaner for wood and dry it immediately.



This is all assuming you are in a wintry climate right now and cannot put it outside. If you are not in a snowy or rainy climate you can simply put the table outside for a day or two -- in a relatively shaded place that is protected from the elements. The UV will help to kill any mold spores which cause the mildewy smell.



Worst case scenario, the table will air out in your kitchen over time and with a few cleanings.



If it's an expensive or very old piece, consult a professional. Check your yellow pages :)How do I get a musty smell from an oak table that was stored in a basement?
Try Murphy's Oil in can be bought in hardware's and supermarkets.
use some kleen guard or pledge lemon wood cleaner. clean it with that then put it outside to let it air and freshen.
I have read that time in the sun should help. Put it outside and let it air out. If this does not work, call a furniture refinisher for a suggestion.
It really depends on several things that you haven鈥檛 really told us about.



First off, basics - You need to leave it to warm to the room it's going to be in, then check it for cracks and other warping. This is when it will be releasing the scent most, and after a few days (maybe two weeks) when it has settled, the smell may simply go away. If the table has been standing in water or very damp (check the base of the feet for softness and discolouration) then your problem may be that the wood is rotten and you may find that the smell goes away if you thoroughly dry it (but be careful the wood is not weakened dangerously by the rot) given oak doesn鈥檛 tend to rot, this is not likely to be the problem, so continuing.



If it doesn鈥檛 just go away when the damp dries then you need to look for something on it that might be making the smell. Wood doesn鈥檛 smell once seasoned (well that a lie, but not noticeably) so the smell is being made by something else. If there is something living in or on your table then there are various chemicals you can buy to treat the wood and I suggest you phone your local auction house and see if they have a restorer that can help you identify the specific infestation. If it shows no visible signs of mold or infestation (small holes indicate present or past woodlice, and white patches might be mold for example) then you need to run your hand over the surface to check that instead.



It should feel smooth, rather than ridge like. Damp makes grain in wood rise and something can be growing in the ridges. If it's ridge like then your next step depends on the surface on the table.



I assume it's either varnished or waxed - it might be oiled. Varnished is the most difficult, but also the least likely to have microscopic life. What you need is some sand paper or a belt sander. Sand the WHOLE table with coarse then fine paper. If it is a bacterial problem then if you don鈥檛 sand it all, it could spread back.



Then oil (preferably with linseed or boiled linseed, but veg oil does ok) with a paint brush all over every couple of hours for a couple of days. The grain will swell again but this is ok the oil is replacing the water in the table. This will finish your table, and if you like the way it looks you can leave it like this 鈥?oil it about twice a year or more if you want. If you want it to look more highly finished then sand again with fine paper and then either wax or varnish your table (varnish is hardest to make look good in multiple coats, but a nicest finish is gained from rubbing the varnish rather than painting it. Wax needs doing again every couple of years to keep a nice finish)



Hope that helped.