Cleaning the basement of your home is not an easy task. Large part of the difficulty comes from the fact that you are, quite frankly, terrified by the thought of cleaning that lonely and dark place. Considering that you want to utilise the space of the room, however, you definitely have to take some initiative and effectively clean it, because otherwise it will be unusable. And while it is considered no small task, there are certainly some tips that can help you with it.
Before you begin, you should have a change of mindset. The basement is just another room of your home that requires your attention. All of the times you have been neglecting it and used it to put stuff in there without order should make you feel ashamed. Cleaning service and organizing the place is needed just as much as any part of your home, and you should not really ignore it.
Here are some general tips that can help you maintain your basement clean:
Vacuum clean the basement
It is not like carpet cleaning, but it is definitely cleaning by using a vacuum cleaner that you should have in your basement. You have to focus on getting all of the dust and spoils from the floor, as chances are there is quite a good amount of that there.
Proceed to declutter
If you have been tossing your stuff in the basement without too much thought on how to organise it, chances are it is quite messy down there. A lot of people tend to neglect this part of their homes, which is definitely a mistake. If the room is the right size, you can use it for storage. This is impossible, however, if you throw your stuff in without order. So, your cleaning service should definitely include a decluttering session. Take any dust covers that you have been using on stored items and shake them outside. You will be surprised at the amount of dust basement items collect. Wash the covers and continue with wiping the hot-water heater and furnace interior. Now would be the time to free the space around those items of any clutter.
Use a cleaning solution
If you notice there is a surface in your basement that is especially dirty, you can add detergent to your cleaning routine. Depending on what problem you have in the basement you can use an appropriate solution for the task. For floor cleaning you can consider adding ammonia. Use a stiff nylon brush to wash away the impurities that have accumulated there.
Deal with efflorescence
Another problem you typically encounter in basements is efflorescence. Use a wet mop to pick up most of this white powder that accumulates on the walls. It is made of soluble salts left after water evaporates. If you see that the problem persists, you should look for the cause of moisture and dampness and deal with it.
Combat mold
When it comes to basements, mold is definitely a common problem. Moisture is the likely cause of the issue, so you should definitely try to locate the problem. It could be a leaky pipe, or maybe rainwater from outside has found its way into your basement. Other than that, lack of ventilation coupled with cold temperatures creates perfect conditions for condensation around pipes and carpets too. This is why you have to ventilate the room more often, be it by simply opening windows or through fans. Other means include heaters and dehumidifiers. If you have a carpet in your basement, make sure it is 100% dry after good carpet cleaning to prevent mold.
Hire professional cleaning service
If you think that you cannot cope with the task of basement cleaning effectively, you should consider hiring expert cleaners for this job. This is very important in case you have a severe mold problem, for example after a flood. Mold can be quite dangerous for human health, so better leave the matter to the experts.
Cleaning the basement is definitely no easy task. Following the outlined tips can certainly point you towards some effective practices and help you deal with the problem easily.