basement

[love8903]

My daughters room is in the basement and she is constantly complaining the it always seems dirty dow there even after she cleans it i even got carpets put down there in her room and a bathroom down there i made it look alot like a upstairs but she still says it seems dirty and it doesnt smell clean anyone got any home remedies or anything that miht help me out

[Sandal16]

Do you have a dehumidifier in the basement? If not, it makes a world of difference with the smell and dampness. We have a finished basement and it never quite felt right down there. We bought a 40-pint dehumidifier and haven't had a problem since! It's amazing how much "water" is in the air, we empty 40 pints about twice a week. Hope that helps.

[kat]

If you don't have a dehumidifier & can't quite afford one right now, they also have a product to help draw the moisture out of the air. It's called Damp Rid & comes in a plastic container (you can buy refills for it in milk carton type containers).

Damp Rid looks like little white pellets, but it draws the moisture out of the air & out of the room so that the area feels fresher & cleaner. We got ours at WalMart - it's not expensive and is very easy to use. I'd suggest getting the plastic bucket instead of the hanging one since you can then refill it and it's also hard to get the hanger off the closet rod once it's full.

We had a small problem after someone parked on our sump pump hose and a little water leaked into my office downstairs. This stuff helped to get the extra moisture out of the room so my computer wasn't running in an extra humid room & has helped us when it's just extra humid around here (normally the dehumidifier on the a/c takes care of everything, but after a week of 85%+ humidity, it needs help).

[love8903]

Yes i have a dehumidifier

[AndersonGal]

Many basements just don't have much light due to the small windows. In underground homes they create an illusion that is above ground. One I saw even had like a fake patio with plants and bright lights. I bit much for your basement but maybe a mural and some hidden lighting would do the trick. ?

[cata5]

Vinegar will help with odors. Just put some in a bowl and let it sit. Also for musty damp basement smell you could try that activated charcoal.? Not sure where to buy it, but that is supposed to help, too. If that is the smell she is talking about, you might have to get rid of some things to truly get the smell out. Cardboard boxes , books, paper...they tend to have that odor.

[DaizyMae]

I am very allergic to molds, and the dehumidifier really helps me. The other suggestions here seem like good ones also, think I will try them myself. Thanks for posting this....

[love8903]

thanks you guys