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Moisuture can be detrimental to the items you have stored in a self storage unit. It can cause metal items to rust, wood items to warp and mildew and mold to form on your textiles. When placing your items into storage, you may feel like moisture is out of your control. But this is not the case. There are many things you can do to protect your belongings from moisture damage when they are being stored. Here are a few ways you can decrease the odds of your items being damaged by moisture when they are being stored in a self storage unit. 

Clean Your Belongings With Baking Soda

As you prepare to place belongings into storage, take the time to clean them. Cleaning them with a mixture of water and baking soda can help to remove food particles and mold spores that can lead to more extensive damage or stains if your belongings are exposed to moisture. Once your items are clean, be sure to thoroughly allow them to dry. Wet or damp items increase the moisture levels in your storage unit. Leave the items in the sun or dry them with a towel, but be sure they are dry before placing them in a storage unit. 

Line the Self Storage Unit With Tarps or Plastic Sheeting

Before you begin to place any items in your self storage unit, take the time to line the floor of the unit with either a plastic tarp or plastic sheeting. The majority of storage units have floors made from concrete. The concrete can absorb moisture beneath it and pull it upwards, causing moisture damage to items stored directly stop it. A plastic barrier can help ensure this moisture doesn't surface, protecting your items. 

If desired, you can also line the walls of the self storage unit with the plastic sheeting. It is always recommended that you examine your unit for holes and water damage before moving in. But it is possible for a leak to develop or for you to miss signs of possible water damage. Placing sheeting on the walls helps to provide another barrier that water must pass through should a crack develop in the walls of the storage unit. 

Place Your Belongings on Pallets

After lining the storage unit with plastic tarps or sheeting, consider laying down wood pallets on the floor to place your belongings on as you move them in. The pallets provide another barrier that helps keep floor moisture away from your boxes and furniture. However, the other benefit to pallet racks is that they help allow air to flow underneath your belongings. Air flow is better for the textiles stored in the unit and also helps to control moisture. 

Utilize Cat Litter or Charcoal to Absorb Moisture

One of the easiest ways to decrease the amount of moisture in a self storage unit is to place a large bucket or several smaller buckets of charcoal or cat litter in the unit. Both of these items absorb moisture and humidity in the air, helping to keep those levels low. However, both items can eventually absorb so much moisture that they become full and unable to absorb anymore. Cat litter may look dark and possibly clumpy when it needs to be changed. Charcoal briquettes should be changed every 30 to 60 days for optimal moisture control. 

Moisture can ruin the items you store in a self storage unit. However, there are ways you can protect your belongings when they are being stored. Installing a vapor barrier using plastic sheeting or tarps, placing your items on pallets and absorbing moisture with cat litter or charcoal are a few of these options. If you have items that are particularly susceptible to moisture, using an indoor unit that has a moisture gauge can help further decrease the amount of moisture your belongings are exposed to.