I just took up lots of linoleum in my old cellar. I found a cement floor and would like to clean it before laying a rug. I am sure there is mold on this floor. Any ideas what I should use to clean it?
2007-05-18 01:09:20 · 5 answers · asked by lennienahra 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
You can't go wrong by starting with hot soapy water, rinse well and rinse again with a Clorox bleach solution. Let it dry thoroughly and see if you are happy with the results.
2007-05-18 01:21:06 · answer #1 · answered by pappy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bleach should work just fine. If you are having issues with mold (and yes mold can grow on concrete and cement), you may want to look into a coating on your cement floor. You can get a basic thin mil epoxy coating pretty cheap. Otherwise their are more decorative coatings that are a bit more expensive. Epoxy coatings do not allow mold to grow on them or underneath them like carpet or tile does. It also protects your concrete, which can help increase the value of your home.
2007-05-18 11:22:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Muratic acid is used to clean a concrete floor and for mildew if that doesn't do it and for the future get yourself a spray bottle already mixed of a product made by Zinseer called "Jomax" it's guaranteed to kill the mildew or you can mix your own with bleach by getting a quart of their concentrated formula. As far as the moisture in your basement get yourself a good dehumidifier and you'll be fine, I have a good commercial grade low pile carpet in my finished basement with a rubber backing glued to the floor, looks and feels great and have had no problems in 20 yrs and yes I've got moisture and have had a good soaking a couple times but you'd never know it, Good luck Les the painter
2007-05-18 08:34:55 · answer #3 · answered by Les the painter 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Certainly Bleach and other substances can be used to initially "kill" mold, and others more specific to inhibiting it. Once applied and scrubbed in, you can remove residue with a wet/dry shop vac.
The issue in WHY the mold,,,if it exists; might be more the important consideration. IE: water/moisture intrusion into the basement. That should not only be determined, but attended to before any flooring is placed.
Even with vapor barriers, I'd strongly suggest against carpet if in fact the basement is prone to excessive moisture; especially enough to be a medium for mold growth. Carpet and Mold love each other.
Certainly you can raise the floor with beams and a substrate.
2007-05-18 08:19:56 · answer #4 · answered by DIY Doc 7 · 1⤊ 6⤋
Good old fashion elbow grease and a floor scraper. You will not have any mold on concrete
2007-05-18 08:28:53 · answer #5 · answered by Tutto Bene 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋