I Found A Hard Black Coating Under Painted Concrete In My Basement If After Cleaning Can I Paint Over It It Did Not All Scrub Up Does Mold Get Imbedded In The Cement
Based on your description, this does not sound like mold. On concrete, mold will appear in either a fuzzy format or a stain like appearance. It would not feel like a hard coating. In either scenario, it is fine to paint the concrete after youve thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned the area. Anything remaining is simply the pigment from the prior mold growth, which cannot regrow.
What Kills Black Mold On Concrete
There Has Been A Wet Smell In Our Newly Purchased Home Since We Got Here The Previous Owners Did Not Heat The Home In The Winter Months And There Is Very Poor Ventilation In The Basement We Removed Some Gyproc Todaydoes It Look Like We Will Have To Remove It All
Yes, the sheet rock should be removed. This is necessary not only to clean up the existing mold, but to implement the prevention measures.
First, you need to identify the source of the moisture. Three possibilities exist. 1.) Condensation from the warm interior air hitting the cold concrete wall. This typically does not happen behind a well sealed wall , but its possible.
2.) Vapor emissions through the concrete. This occurs when moisture moves through the concrete in vapor form, creating high humidity and saturation on the surface. In an uncovered wall, the water would simply evaporate into the air without causing an issue. The installation of the sheet rock traps the moisture, leading to mold growth. There are two solutions either keep the concrete exposed or install dimple board with a interior footing drain.
3.) Liquid water intrusion. Its possible youre having liquid water enter through the cold joint at the bottom of the wall. If this is the case, youll see more damage at the bottom plate/framing than higher up the studs. In most cases, the solution is an interior footing drain.
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How To Get Rid Of Mold On Concrete & Patio Stone
Here are steps on how to prevent mold on concrete patio:
TIP: Cleaning only to kill mold will not stop it from growing back, instead address the source of the water causing the mold.
Pressure Washing With Detergent
Use a mold and mildew house and siding detergent that is safe for your pressure washer. It will make your task much easier.
Simply fill your detergent tank, switch the tank to “On,” and begin spraying your concrete with soap. Let it soak into the mold and mildew, and you’ll be ready to spray it away.
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We Have A Problem With A Room In Our Basement It Is Uninsulated And Has A Moldy Smell The Odor Is Worse In The Winter Months My Son Likes To Sleep In The Room
Youll want to focus on two items increasing the temperature and the air flow. Addressing these issues will lower the humidity and the mold growth/musty odor.
Purchase a relative humidity gauge and install it in the basement. Your goal is to keep the RH below 50%. Increase the heat as necessary to lower the RH until youve reached 50%.
The easiest way to increase the ventilation is to run a bathroom exhaust fan. If theres an existing fan in the basement, run it at least 12 hours per day in the winter months.
Its also important to verify whether the basement is suffering from vapor emissions through the concrete slab. This occurs when water vapor moves up through the slab and into the room above. If the basement is carpeted, the moisture can become trapped and lead to mold growth. See our page on basement mold for more info.
Use Vinegar Or Bleach
When you start to see a little mold or mildew on your shower curtain liner, you throw it in the washer with some bleach or vinegar, and it comes out clean and mold free. The same thing can happen for your hardscapes. Bleach should not be the first line of defense for folks who have plants or grass bordering the patio or walkway that has mold, but this is another option you can try if pressure washing does not work.
If you are going to try this approach to remove mold or algae, first try a mixture of white vinegar and water to spray down the area and kill the mold. Vinegar is a great way to get rid of weeds, so you do not have to worry about overspray getting on weeds, but you do need to make sure you do not spray vinegar on wanted plants and that the vinegar does not run off into a natural grass lawn or flower bed. After you have sprayed the vinegar solution on the area and allowed it to work its magic for a few minutes, you may need to use a deck brush or scrub brush to address stubborn areas.
You will then want to rinse the area well with water.
If you opt for a bleach solution to remove mold or algae, you will need to rinse the area after application. If the mold or algae has stained your hardscape, you may need to repeat this process a second or third time to remove the stain.
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Why Does My New Concrete Have Dark Spots
Calcium chloride in concrete is a primary cause of concrete discoloration. The resulting low water- cement ratio affects the hydration of the cement ferrites, which contributes to a darker color. Concrete surfaces that are troweled too early will increase the water- cement ratio at the surface and lighten the color.
General Maintenance Of Concrete Floors
Concrete floors should be cleaned at least once a year to keep them in tip-top shape. Before starting, remove any items from the areaif its an outdoor patio, remove all potted plants, furniture, and decorative items. Do a spot test by testing your cleaner in an inconspicuous area to ensure your method will not cause any additional discoloration or damage to your concrete.
To clean a concrete floor in your basement, you may need to do it in sections by moving everything from one side of the room to the other, and then switching back to finish the job.
Inspect your floors for cracks or chips and make any necessary repairs before beginning the cleaning process.
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How To Clean Concrete Patio
During my research, I learned that people go to extremes to try and get their concrete patio cleanincluding using acid to wash the surface. Thats a little hardcore for me, especially as a mama with a baby around and someone who wants to keep their grass alive.
So, I turned to what I had on hand, which was Tide Oxi. Its a laundry product that removes stains from clothing, so I thought it might work on concrete as well. It seemed weird, but why not? I decided to give it a shotand it actually worked! No acid needed.
How Do You Remove Mildew From Concrete
Keep the concrete patio clean at all times. Mold needs food to live, so removing any dirt or debris helps restrict its growth. Clean the patio as needed with a solution of 1/2 cup detergent per gallon of water, using a scrub broom. Rinse off the patio with a hose.
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How To Get Rid Of Mold On Concrete Block Walls
According to the 2021 Old Farmers Almanac, this winter is going to be warmer and wetter than usual. Perhaps thats what brought you here today. Is your basement collecting more moisture this winter? Have you noticed a musty smell or discoloration on your basement walls? If so, then the most-likely culprit is mold. Its time to figure out how to get rid of mold on concrete block wallsand fast!
How To Remove Mold From Concrete Basement Walls
- Written by Cameron Sherber on Apr 09, 2010To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.Reviewed by
If your concrete basement walls have recently fallen victim to mold infestation, you may be wondering how to go about getting rid of it. Below are the necessary steps to remove such an infestation from your home.
Step 1 – Clean Your Basement Walls
Before you can begin the mold removal process, you must give your concrete basement walls a thorough cleaning. Begin this step by combining warm water with a mild brand of soap. Next, pour the newly formed cleaning solution into an empty spray bottle and proceed to vigorously apply it to your mold-laden basement walls. You’ll now need to use a sponge or scrub brush to wipe the walls clean, taking care to fully purge any caked-on dirt deposits. Any remaining dirt or debris stands to cause problems when the mold removal process is underway, so when performing this step, take your time. Once your walls have been sufficiently cleaned, you’ll be ready to move on.
Step 2 – Apply Your Bleach
Step 3 – Apply Your Finishing Touches
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Removing Mold From Your Home
Because of its non-toxic nature, vinegar is usually the best cleaning product to use on mold. If vinegar isn’t strong enough, use bleach and heavily dilute it .
Cleaning mold with vinegar is safe and effective, but large quantities of mold should be cleaned with specialized equipment. If you have extensive mold growth, call a professional to tackle the job. If you’re renting and find mold in your apartment, contact your landlord immediately, take photos and keep records of any health problems that you encounter.
The CDC provides these suggestions for cleaning up mold in your home:
Source: CDC
How To Remove Mold From Painted Wall
Anyone that has a moisture of humidity problem in their home will end up having mold on the walls.
That is unless you took the right steps to fix the moisture problem.
If you have mold growing on your walls, like most people, you probably cleaned it with bleach or some other mold removal product.
However, to your surprise, it came back days later.
If the growth returned, you probably didnt fix the moisture problem correctly the first time around.
Mold growing on painted walls can be resilient.
If you fail to get rid of the moisture source, it will keep coming back no matter how many times you try to clean it or paint over it.
The regrowth happens because chemicals applied often will not penetrate deep below the surface where the roots continue to grow.
When the roots keep getting a constant moisture source, the mold continues to develop.
Applying mold removers is only a temporary measure and only stops mold development when the killing agent stays active.
Once the killing agent evaporates, the regrowth will just happen again and again. That is until you find and stop the moisture source.
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We Just Purchased Our Home Three Months Ago And Recently We Discovered These Discolored Areas In Our Garage Should We Be Worried Should We Be Seeking Some Type Of Environmental Remediation
Its difficult to determine from the photo whether this is mold or efflorescence. An easy way to distinguish between the two is by flicking a bit of water on the surface. Efflorescence will dissolve in water, mold will just mat down a bit.
Either way, it likely indicates vapor emissions moving through the concrete. You can verify this by taping a piece of plastic to the concrete. Recheck this in a few days. If you find condensation on the backside of the plastic, you have a vapor emissions issue.
In a garage this is not a problem, as long as you keep sensitive items off the floor. The vapor will eventually evaporate from the surface. Do not install carpeting on any concrete showing signs of vapor emissions! This will lead to major mold problems.
How To Clean A Concrete Pathway Without Harming The Surrounding Grass
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After a few years, homeowners might notice that their concrete walks, driveway and patio look a bit tired. Nature’s detritus dirt, decaying leaves, growing moss, decomposing fruit and berry-stained bird droppings adds up until the average homeowner goes looking for a walkway and patio cleaner that doesn’t kill the grass. Cleaning concrete and patio pavers without damaging adjacent plants begins with preparing your surface and an environmentally friendly approach before you have to apply elbow grease and chemicals.
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How To Clean Mold Off A Concrete Floor
First, moisten the concrete floor with water before cleaning off the mold. Eliminating mold from a little damp floor will lessen the number of mold spores released into the air during removal. Use the correct amount of bleach, vinegar, or mold removal detergent and scrub the mold off entirely until it disappears. Finally, rinse the area clean and leave it to dry.
How To Remove Mold From Concrete Patio
Removing mold from an outdoor surface offers a broader range of options than mold removal for an indoor space. The best means for cleaning a concrete patio is a pressure washer with a PSI range of 100 to 200 PSI with a concentrated cleaner designed for mold removal.
A pressure washer will allow you to cover a large amount of space in a short amount of time.
Begin by adding the concentrate to the pressure washers tank and use a light pressure nozzle that wont damage the concrete. Apply the cleaner to the patio in a sweeping motion, working from the house outward to avoid directing high-pressure water at the homes foundation.
After applying the cleaner:
If you dont have a power washer, use a hose with a sprayer. Youll need to apply a solution of vinegar or bleach and water and scrub with a brush before rinsing as the hose will not produce enough pressure to remove all of the molds on its own.
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Mold On Concrete Walls
Black fungi on concrete walls mostly comes from moisture hitting and being absorbed into the wall. Before attempting to clean the walls, first resolve the moisture issue by redirecting downspouts and swamps from the wall. You could also try installing an interior footing drain to keep the water from the wall. Fix all water seepage from hose spots and taps. Also raising relative humidity in the house by improving ventilation would do the trick. You will then proceed to clean the molded concrete walls after fixing the moisture issue.
I Live In A Condo With Concrete Ceilings And A Flat Roof I Get Mold Along The Exterior Edge Of My Ceiling Whats The Best Way To Prevent This
The simplest option is to increase the temperature and outside ventilation of this condo. Typically this is accomplished by running the bathroom exhaust fan 24/7. Our humidity page has an in-depth explanation of the approach. If you dont have a working bathroom fan, youll have to find another way to introduce fresh air into the condo. Keeping a window cracked is an option, but can be uncomfortable during very cold weather.
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How To Remove Mold From Cement
Concrete inside your basement or on your back patio is no exception to this rule.
If it has damp conditions and a food source, it will grow at an alarming rate.
Dirty concrete surfaces like patios that dont dry out rapidly because its in a shaded area, can be the perfect area for mold to grow.
When mold begins to grow on concrete surfaces, it looks black, green or a bunch of other colors it also can produce a strong earthy musty smell.
Mold growing on concrete inside or outside can pose a risk to your health.
Indoor, its a well-known fact that mold spores can be bad and impact an individuals health.
Some people have mold allergies and can have severe reactions, especially those that have respiratory conditions or a weak immune system.
When mold grows on concrete on concrete outdoors, there is also a risk to your health.
If you leave mold growing on a concrete surface outside your home, you could slip and fall on the growth.
This is because the surface of the concrete will become slippery when the mold growth covers enough surface area.
No matter where it begins to grow, the best thing to do is to remove it and try your best to keep the concrete as clean and dry as you can.
Here are some items you will need to remove mold from concrete inside your home.
Things You Will Need:
Use these steps to clean mold from cinder block or concrete in your home:
