The All-Natural Trick That Helps Fight Odors In Flood-Prone Basements

On top of all the issues a flooded basement can bring, including damage to the walls and foundation of your home, there's another less urgent problem that can linger long after the flood cleanup, and that's the smell. Flooding can cause mold and mildew, which leaves behind that damp, stale, and sometimes funky odor. This is also common in basements in humid areas. There are plenty of dehumidifiers on the market, but some of these can cost some serious cash and take plenty of energy to keep running. You'll also probably find a lot of cleaning products that promise to banish odors, but once the perfume fades away, your basement still stinks. If you've already tried the usual ways to deodorize your musty basement, you may want to try something you might already have on hand: rock salt. 

Rock salt, also known as halite, is a bit different from the salt you keep next to the pepper. Rock salt is mined and kept in large mineral crystal chunks, differing from the fine crystals used in table salt. It may also be known as ice cream salt. Although rock salt is best known for clearing ice from walkways, it can also do a great job of absorbing moisture from the air, which can in turn get that musty smell out of your basement.  

To use rock salt as a moisture-absorber in your basement, you don't need any fancy equipment or pricier Himalayan pink salt. Just use the bag you keep in the garage for removing ice from the driveway, or buy a new bag of rock salt, which can be found in the home and garden section of most supermarkets. You'll also need two planter pots, one with drainage holes and one without, or two buckets, one with drilled holes and one without. Place the planter or bucket with holes on top of the other, and fill the top bucket with rock salt. This will allow the salt to attract the moisture from the air, and the bucket below can collect the excess and prevent the salt itself from becoming soggy. Be sure to empty the water from the bucket as needed. 

Deprived of moisture, the odor-causing mold and mildew spores don't die, but they do stop growing and become dormant. This can help to eliminate odors, but keep in mind that mold and mildew spores will reactivate if left in contact with moisture again — that's why it's essential to make sure your rock salt dehumidifier is continually working over time. Rock salt can do a lot to dehumidify the basement, but ultimately, if nothing seems to work to dispel the smell, this may be a sign to call a professional to get rid of mold.