How to Clean Mold From Basement Walls & Floors
Mold is a type of fungus that thrives in moist environments. It enters homes as small mold spores that look for moisture to grow. While mold generally is not harmful to people in good health, those with asthma or allergies may be more susceptible to health problems from mold. Mold is unattractive and makes basement walls and floors look dirty. Cleaning mold from basement walls and floors will not only restore the neat appearance of the basement but will also eliminate the possibility of health problems associated with mold inhalation. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Safety goggles
- Rubber gloves
- Face mask
- Bucket
- Warm water
- Mild laundry detergent
- Stiff scrub brush
- Chlorine bleach
- Rags
- Mop
- Borate-based laundry detergent
Instructions
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Seal the basement off from the rest of the house. Cover heat vents and registers, and open the basement windows prior to cleaning.
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2
Put on safety goggles, gloves and a face mask to clean the mold. This will prevent exposure to harmful mold spores.
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3
Remove any items in the molded area to a mold-free place in the house. If the items were exposed to mold, they need to be cleaned before you put them back into the basement once you have removed the mold.
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4
Fill a bucket with warm water and a mild laundry detergent. Scrub the moldy basement walls and floors using a stiff brush.
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5
Empty the bucket, and rinse it out. Fill the bucket with a bleach and water solution. Use ¼ cup of chlorine bleach to every gallon of warm water.
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6
Wipe the basement floors and walls with the solution. Use a rag to wipe the walls and a mop on the floor if the molded area is large.
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Apply a solution of a detergent containing borax combined with warm water to the basement floors and walls. Use a rag or mop to apply this solution. Do not rinse the solution off the floors and walls. This will help to prevent mold from growing in the future. You can find borate-based detergents in the laundry aisle of most grocery stores. Look for "borate" in the list of ingredients on the bottle.
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