How do I make my basement not smell like basement?
Place bowls of baking soda around the basement. The baking soda will begin to absorb the odors and should make a significant difference over the course of a few days. You can also use bowls of white vinegar or clean cat litter—both will absorb odors as well.
Why does my basement have a musty smell?
No matter how much you clean, unless you get rid of what is causing the smell in the first place, the smell will keep coming back. The most common reason for a musty smell is because of mold or mildew growth, which could be caused by high humidity in the air, or a leaky pipe or wall.
Why does my basement smell like sewer gas?
Musty smells in the basement air are caused by mold growth, water damage, or high humidity levels. Sewer gas distinctively smells like sewage and permeates through to affect all of the house smells. The solutions to fix these two problems are different.
How can I get moldy smell out of my basement?
Place a cup of cat litter in multiple containers, spread throughout the basement. Change the litter out at least once a week, or a couple of times if the smell is potent, to successfully get rid of remaining odors. Baking soda may be used to clean almost anything. This is also true when trying to clean moldy smells out of a basement.
What causes mold and mildew in the basement?
Since basements are built underground, the basement exterior walls are generally cool in temperature, and while warm air in the home comes into contact with the cool walls or surfaces, it will produce condensation. The condensation will then begin to cause mold and mildew to grow.
Why do I have a bad smell in my basement?
Some of these smells could be caused by something as serious as mold or sewer gas that could have some ill effects on your health if left too long. Some of the most common unpleasant odors in the basement are caused by mold, mildew, sewer gases, or a dead decaying animal such as a mouse.
What to do if you smell mold in your basement?
Solution: Contact a local plumber and have them come out to the home to perform a hydrostatic water test, or send a camera down through the pipes to determine where the leak is. Mold and mildew have a very unique, strong, musty odor to them. Some people might also describe the smell as earthy, or compare it the smell of a pair of wet used socks.
What to do if your house has an offensive smell?
The P trap is a curved piece of pipe below the drain that should be full of water—the water blocks offensive odors from your sewer line or septic tank from wafting back into the house. If this is the case, running the water for a few seconds (or flushing the toilet) should solve the problem.
What to do if your basement smells like cats?
When the smell travels into the house through cracks or gaps, it would seem as if it is coming from within the basement. Solution: To stop cats from coming around your house and spraying, you can leave orange peels scattered around the outside of the home, as well as use a repellent that contains citrus oil.
