Keep clothes stored in a basement from smelling musty with help from an experienced clothing professional in this free video clip. Honestly it would probably be better if you found somewhere else to store them but if youre determined to try there are a couple things that might help. Needless to say if the basement does flood forget about saving whatever was on the floor.
how to store clothes in basement
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Shelving units are perfect for storage and will help keep things organized.
How to store clothes in basement. Circulate the air in the basement by getting a fan or multiple fans. The ideal temperature is between about 50 and 80 degrees fahrenheit. Even if your basement doesnt flood the items may absorb moisture from the concrete and even develop mold growth. You can also use a mechanical dehumidifier in non air conditioned spaces.
Store items in airtight bags or containers. If appropriate take clothing out to a dry cleaner for a full cleaning instead. Everything that fits into a bag or a container should be kept in one. If you must store clothes in a basement garage or attic make sure that the space is well ventilated wont expose clothing to heat fumes or grease and is not damp.
Generally these spaces are not ideal for long term clothing storage. First this helps get rid of dirt and food bits that may be attractive to insects. This is especially important for fabrics if you dont want them to absorb that stuffy musty. Depending on how humid your basement is it may need to be emptied everyday.
Check on your clothing regularly every week or two at least buy a dehumidifier. Wash and dry any clothing thats ready for storage including clothing that you may not regularly wash. Space bags are perfect just make sure your garments are ironed and completely dry and use a used dryer sheet but not over done especially when storing in a damp basement and in a spacebag. Vacuum seal your clothing in vacuum bags.