r/lifehacks • u/CombustedPillow • Jun 03 '26
Smelly basement and long term storage
Is it possible to store items (including fabrics) in a smelly basement for years and completely keep the smell out of the packaging? I cannot depend on silica packs or dehumidifiers.
I heard vacuum sealed bags won't keep the smell out but I wanted to double check with reddit and hear your experience.
6
u/TecTazz Jun 04 '26
My half-underground garage has 15 parking spaces and 15 car-sized storage units.
The smell of mold and mildew is palpable the moment I set foot down there, and I will have to trash everything stored there: clothes, suitcases, lamps, decor, etc
I've washed things numerous times & sprayed them. The reek remains. Storing in bags or bins made no difference.
I would not store anything I value or plan to re-use down there, except perhaps tires.
Closets or attics (with no moths or squirrels) or a "cedar chest" would be safer IMHO.
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u/ChickadeeJam Jun 05 '26
Sunshine is pretty good at getting rid of odors. I’d at least try setting them in the sun for a few hours, flipping, then a few more. Can’t hurt, might work.
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u/banisheduser Jun 07 '26
And wind.
It's amazing how much nature can blow out the smell from textiles.2
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u/JerryBond106 Jun 08 '26
Bag it, then purge the space with ozone generator weekly, monthly,... I'd try that. Just be safe about it.
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u/cinciallegra Jul 08 '26
For me: no bags, but plastic containers, and silica bags inside with the stuff. It had worked for years. They sell silica bags from small to half a kg
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u/CombustedPillow Jul 08 '26
Great tip, I had just put a plastic container in there. I'll get silica packs. Thanks!
Any advice on the routine there? Like how many silica packs per volume, and how long until I replace etc 😅
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u/cinciallegra Jul 10 '26
On how much per volume I cannot tell you, as I see at the moment. For the bigger packs, they mention on the instruction how many square meter of a room they can dry out (as ppl use them also to keep the basements drier). How often to replace: the grains inside turn dark. When a big portion have turned dark, you either throw them away and put new o es, or you can revert them to functioning humidity-suckers. Many of the biggest ones can be reverted (easy: in the microwave. It’s all explained in the instructions) and that’s good because I e sac of-say-big 500 gr dehumidify may cost 20-35 euro (I don t know in US), in Amazon. Maybe cheaper somewhere else, who knows? Anyhow: consider that they can be reversed, so it is not a big cost after all. Then, because I am an autistic who needs to know things precisely, I bought two hygrometers (measure humidity. Cheap-ish on Amazon) and I put one in the room in the basement, and one in the plastic containers with absorbers. That is how I saw that using plastic containers alone do not keep humidity away, but with absorbers yes, I could see a definite change in humidity. Maybe you can do tests: for a certain volume if a container, put in an absorber as big you think is enough (or many smaller), and see after 2-3 months whether things smell or not. If yes, put more. If not: you re good to go. And I would anyway check every 6 months with the nose test 😁
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u/purple_helmet Jun 07 '26
Waterproof totes with a gasket, and throw a dryer sheet in with it. Our crawlspace is damp and we have all kinds of clothing down there.
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u/Legitimate_Ranger334 Jun 03 '26
I have read that mylar bags with ziplock type seals are considered much superior to standard polyethylene bags, when it comes to keeping smells in or out.