To keep the cellar in a sanitary condition, as much sunlight as possible should be admitted. The windows should be made as large as possible and be on opposite sides to insure cross-ventilation. If the house is banked for the winter, dry clean material should be used and the windows should not be covered. If the cellar floor is of concrete and is proof against dampness, it can be washed. The cellar walls should be whitewashed once or twice a year. Whitewash is a disinfectant. If the cellar walls admit moisture, it is recommended to wash them with a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid (1 part acid and 5 parts water), and then apply a plaster of oil-mixed mortar.

A cellar containing a heating plant should be divided into compartments. By constructing one of these compartments with an insulating wall of hollow tile, a cool room for vegetables may be secured. It is sometimes best to construct an outside cellar for such storage (page 584).