Are you dealing with any of the following issues:
Let's identify some possible solutions for these issues.
A dry basement is a safe basement - in most circumstances. Keeping the basement dry will deter mold growth and some types of cement or foundation failures, but this is not true in all circumstances.
Air flow is important for keeping basements fresh. Some solutions to this are fans to allow air to circulate. As long as the air can enter and exit in the right places this will help with the circulation. Dehumidifiers may also help with ventilation. Exhaust vents are also sometimes installed in basements to allow air to move throughout the house.
Dehumidifiers can help with the humidity, as mentioned before. You can read more about humidity and find out if your basement is too humid in our article below:
Leaks can be a culprit of basement dirtiness. These leaks can be from multiple sources, such as the floor, walls, and even plumbing pipes.
If there is any mold accumulation in your basement currently, clean it out thoroughly. Remove any items that have mold growth and make sure to clean the surrounding areas thoroughly. Mold can infiltrate items in your basement, even if you can't see it. Allowing some mold to remain may allow it to come back in greater numbers in the future.
It's also important to remember that even if you do clean up the mold currently sitting in your basement, your basement may not stay fresh and clean for long. If the environment is ripe for mold growth, then that is exactly what will happen again if the environment isn't fixed. Waterproofing solutions may be in order if this is the case.
If you have old boxes, furniture, or other stuff in your basement, it can be difficult to see mold behind the mess. Oftentimes this allows for mold to grow without us catching it first. Removing old items in your basement may not necessarily fix all the mold issues, but it will allow you to catch it if mold growth starts to take place.
Another option is to organize your basement so that everything is seeable in case you need to inspect items for mold in the future.
Cleaning regularly is a spectacular idea for your basement. If you are using water to clean the basement, be sure it gets dried up when you finish so that it doesn't add to any mold or must issues.
For obvious reasons cleaning dirt, dust, and other residue makes for a fresh basement. As an added bonus, unwanted fungal growth will be stopped at its source so it doesn't take over the basement.
Dryer vents can be a surprising basement attacker. The vents can either accumulate moisture or add moisture to other areas, and by now you probably are aware, moisture isn't a good ingredient in the basement. Two things should happen with the dryer vent:
We hope this list was helpful, and you should now be well on your way to having a clean and fresh basement.
