Tetanus is a serious infection which can even be fatal. Tetanus germs (bacteria) live in the soil and dirt. The bacteria may get into your body through a cut or a wound in the skin. The bacteria make a poison (toxin) which causes the illness. Even small wounds such as a prick from a thorn can allow enough bacteria to get into the body to cause tetanus. The illness usually takes 7-8 days to develop but can vary from one day to two months. Therefore, you may have forgotten about a small cut before the illness starts.
However, if you can handle drying a basement on your own, heed the following suggestions: Pump out standing water. Use a wet/dry vacuum or submersible pump, rentable at Home Depot and other home improvement centers. At Home Depot, wet/dry vacs rent for $19 for four hours or $27 for 24 hours. A regular household vacuum won't do the trick, and using it might prove dangerous.
Soft items that are wet or damp can maintain the moisture and humidity level in your basement, leading to mold growth. Examples of soft, wet items you should remove are clothes, books and newspapers, carpets, cardboard boxes, and other similar items.3.un a dehumidifier in your wet basement. A dehumidifier will remove excess moisture from the air and help prevent high humidity levels and mold growth. 1  Set your dehumidifier to run when your basement's humidity is over 60 percent. 2  Mold growth can stop when your basement's overall humidity level drops below 60 percent.