Any ideas for a musty basement?

Here’s exactly what we did to solve the musty smell problem: https://www.frugalfamilytimes.com/2019/04/how-to-get-rid-of-musty-smell/ :)

Purchase a de-humidifier -one that can be hooked up to a length of garden hose, so that it drains itself into the basement drain hole. Don't settle for the cheaper ones that need to have the water reservoir dumped by hand.

Mold and mildew are likely the causes of your smell. Best thing to do is seal air leaks and get a dehumidifier / humidifier to make it impossible for mold to grow. Here is the one I use: https://amzn.to/3uI8Cif

A dehumidifier and diffuser with purification essential oil

If you do not have a dehumidifier then you should purchase one. You can set it up so that it runs into a floor drain and you will not have to worry about emptying it. During dry, warm weather, open windows so that the air movement will help to dry it out. You could also install a ceiling fan and just let it go so that the air circulates. On rainy days, keep windows closed and let the dehumidifier do its job.

Gerald,

The basement of my house, built in the early 60's, has no floor drain. I have 2 dehumidifiers with built in pumps that pump water through 3/8" clear tubing into my washing machine drain. The tubing runs along the exposed floor joists. I set them to 45% humidity so they only run when they need to. Expensive up front, but I now have no moisture, mold, or odor issues. Once you get the moisture under control, you can clean any existing mold.

Dehumidifier!

Hello. A dehumidifier can be very helpful.

Something that may help you monitor the level of humidity is a meter (Hygrometer) that is does just that, you can pick one up for under $20 at Walmart. In response to what the level of humidity and mustiness is, you can take steps with a dehumidifier, damp rid packs, open windows on sunny breezy days, on rainy days a fan at low speed would help circulate the air and spread out pockets of moisture.

Put in a dehumidifier. You can also use products like DampRid or similar but if it's a big issue, the dehumidifier is going to be the best solution. You might want to have the basement looked at to make sure you don't have any seepage. In our area, they will do a free inspection.

Once you have the moisture issue under control, clean the area with OdoBan for a clean air smell. If you have any mildew, white cleaning vinegar will kill the spores.

We use a dehumidifier. It makes a world of difference!

Hi Gerard, hope this helps you out, To remove any lingering musty smell, try the old-fashioned yet effective remedy of setting out a few small bowls of baking soda around the room; baking soda absorbs and neutralizes odor molecules well. Alternately, set out a few bowls of white vinegar, which also neutralize odor molecules. For more resistant smells, it’s hard to beat the moisture-and-odor-absorbing qualities of DampRid, which contains salt crystals. And a dehumidifier may help.

Dehumidifiers might help but they’re so expensive to run. Ultimately it’s best to find out where the moisture is coming from and fix that rather than attempt to cover over the scent or chase temporary fixes. It’ll be less costly in the end.

We bought a dehumidifier, and it did the trick!

Run a humidifier all summer in basement hallway that I bought at Walmart. That has solved my problem here.

Hello there,

You really need to have your basement "Tanked" or if not use a De-humidifier!

Place activated charcoal, apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar in a bowl in each room. If you are a coffee lover, you could also use coffee grounds. All these substances can help to absorb odors in a non-invasive way. You can also mask the smell with vanilla extract.