As you may know, mold is not good for your home or your health. When it goes undetected, mold can cause unsightly stains and bad odors in areas of your home, but also reduce the air quality, which can badly affect your health and cause breathing difficulties. One of the most common areas where mold can grow is in the basement. This is because of the typical humid conditions that you get in the basement, the potential for pipes to leak and water condensation on cold surfaces. This guide looks at how you can remove mold from your basement.
What You Will Need
- Protective Equipment (Gloves, Mask, Boot Covers, Safety glasses)
- Drop cloth
- Contractor bags
- White vinegar
- Bleach
- Baking soda
- Concrobium
- Sandpaper
- Steam Cleaner
- Dehumidifier
- Fan
- Pry bar
Before You Begin
Before you start removing the mold from your basement, it is important that you identify what caused the mold to grow in the first place and you fix that issue. This is crucial because, if you are unable to solve the root cause of why mold grew there in the first place, then it could keep coming back.
In addition, each problem will require a different solution. For example, if a large amount of mold is growing in hidden locations which you may struggle to access (such as behind a wall), then it will continue to grow unless it is fully removed. For some repairs, you might be able to do it yourself, however if the repair requires removing drywall, then you might be better off calling a local expert.
Step 1: Preparation
The first thing you should do before you begin removing any mold, is prepare the room and get yourself protected. This includes, wearing all the protective equipment which is mentioned in the above list, opening any windows and turning on the fans to ensure the room has proper ventilation and laying down drop cloths to protect the flooring.
Step 2: Remove & Dispose of Damaged Materials
The next step is to remove any materials which have been damaged by mold and disposed of according to the regulations of your local legislation. This could include removing drywall from your home, which can be done using a pry bar. In addition, you might have to remove fabrics which show signs of mold, such as curtains or carpets.
Step 3: Spray A Mold Killing Solution onto the Surface
After that you should spray a mold killing solution onto the surface which has been affected by mold. The different solutions which you can use includes;
- White vinegar- use diluted white vinegar on nonporous surfaces, such as tiles. You should apply the white vinegar directly onto the surface, leaving for an hour then scrubbed off with a brush. This solution should not be used on drywall, insulation or concrete as it could break down these materials
- Baking soda- Mix 2 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and apply the solution to the affected areas with a cloth or scrub brush. You can also create a more powerful mixture by mixing 2 parts baking soda, 1 part vinegar and 1 part water. You should use this solution on grout, drywalls and more porous surfaces
- Bleach- Add 1 cup of liquid bleach to 1 gallon of warm water and mix. The solution can be applied with a scrub brush to clean mold from tiles, appliances, pipes and other nonporous surfaces.
- Concrobium- This solution is a specialized mold removal spray and can come as a spray or a powerful solution, which has to be mixed with water.
Step 4: Scrub Off the Mold & Allow to Dry
The last step is to choose which solution you are going to use to kill the mold from those above before applying with a stiff bristle brush.
If you are cleaning a porous surface, you should use a cloth instead to avoid damaging the material.
Once you have scrubbed the surface, you should allow the area to completely dry before you sand down and repaint.
Too Much Hassle? Ask a Professional
If you are wary of removing mold from the basement yourself, then why not consider choosing a professional to do it for you. At Above & Beyond, we offer 24 hours mold inspection, testing and removal for all areas of your home, including the basement. We have been operating for 25 years and serving the homes and businesses of New Jersey & New York. If you would like to find out more, then please contact us today for a quote.
