How to Get That Basement Smell Out of Your Basement

Since basements are usually underground, or at least partially, the humidity levels in your basement are very high. When humidity levels are high it leads to an influx of mold and mildew growth. Mold and mildew are the leading causes of that "basement odor" that is so hard to get rid of. To kill the odor, you have to kill the cause.

Before you do anything, you will need to check your basement for any leaks. Even a small amount of moisture coming in from the outside can cause a major mold problem. Repairing those leakages is imperative to not only getting the odor out of your basement, but can also cause structural damage if left for a long period of time. If there are no leaks, but the blocks seem to sweat, you will need to paint a moisture blocker over the blocks. Waterproofing sells by the gallon at most home improvement and hardware stores at roughly the same amount as wall paint.

Mold and mildew both reproduce by emitting spores into the air. The spores float along on air currents and take root anywhere they fall. The first place in getting rid of the mold is to keep it from spreading. A good air purifier helps to significantly decrease the amount of mold growth in the basement. You may need to place more than one in your basement, however, to get the optimum effect. Read the label on the box to see how much square footage your air purifier will successfully clean. Compare that to the actual square footage of your basement.

Another aid in cutting down the spore population in your basement is to spray white vinegar around the area of the room in the same way you would air freshener. The smell of vinegar, I know, isn't pleasant either, but this is just a part of the beginning process to get the mold under control. Once the mold and mildew are eradicated, then you will no longer need to spray vinegar in this way.

To kill existing mold, all you need is plain white vinegar. Simply spray it directly on the mold and leave it. For really bad areas you may need to apply it several times. Using vinegar is safe and works every bit as well as the more expensive and more harmful mold killers. To get rid of any stains the mold has caused, you can spray a 17 percent solution of food grade hydrogen peroxide on the area. This concentration works like bleach, and removes stains safely and effectively. You can also use the hydrogen peroxide to kill the mold, but because food grade hydrogen peroxide is more potent in higher concentrations, and is more expensive, I suggest the white vinegar for large areas.

If you have any furniture in your basement, you will want to make sure to treat it as well. Wood is a favorite place for mold to grow, so you will want to make sure to get in the crevices, especially on the bottoms and backs of the pieces.

If you have carpet in your basement, it is harder to treat the mold hiding in the fibers or underneath. Mold loves carpet. The best thing to do is to get rid of the carpet all together, however, if you are really attached to it, you can sprinkle baking soda over the carpet over it and allow it to sit for a few hours, then vacuum it up. You will have to keep this up on a regular basis, however, because it is very difficult to get to all the mold in carpet.

Once the mold has been removed, probably the best air fresheners I've found in the basement is incense. It's deep and rich aroma covers over any remaining overs and lingers for several hours. It has a musky scent that envelopes the musty odor that mold produces, completely erasing it.