How To Clean A Musty Basement

A musty basement quickly loses its usefulness.

After all, who wants to spend time in a room like that. So when your basement becomes musty, it's time to start a cleaning project.

Mustiness is the result of dust, mold, rust and dampness. Not only is it unpleasant, it's unhealthy as well. There's only one way to get rid of the smell and the feeling of dirt all around you and that is to clean it up. Start by getting everything out of the room. If you have a large basement this could very well take several days on its own. This is also a good time to get rid of everything that you don't need. Let's face it, all to frequently the basement becomes the place to put things you think you may need in the future. Most of the time you'll never use them again. Get rid of them now.

Once everything is out of the room and unneeded objects disposed of, it's time to break out the bleach or other cleaning items. Clean the walls and floors. Make sure all mold is removed (wear a mask when removing mold). At this point the mustiness will start to leave. You'll find that a musty basement will likely need to be cleaned every two or three years. Repaint if needed. You'll be amazed at how far a new coat of paint can go to refreshing a musty basement. Use two coats if necessary. And be sure to use a water sealant near the bottom of the walls to keep water and moisture out. If you have carpeting, it must be cleaned as well. Carpets absorb odor and are frequently the cause of a musty basement.

Once all the cleaning is done, put everything back into place and use an air freshener every day.

Finally, to keep the moisture down, use a dehumidifier. This will inhibit the growth of mold. Soon your musty basement will be gone and you have a great place to use as a game room, hobby room, entertainment center or laundry area. Keep it clean and avoid storing things you don't want or need. This will slow or prevent your musty basement from returning. Then twice a year or so, clean out the unwanted items that are sure to reaccumulate. Donate them or throw them away. And keep your basement as one of the more enjoyable rooms in the house.