Efflorescence is caused by the salts in the block leaching to the surface this usually happens in areas of high humidity. It can be removed by washing with either a strong detergent or muriatic acid such as sure klean or similar product. But if you don't find the source of the moisture can and most often will reoccur.

Muriatic acid is dilute hydrochloric acid. Think battery acid. Get a few d...

Efflorescence is caused by the salts in the block leaching to the surface this usually happens in areas of high humidity. It can be removed by washing with either a strong detergent or muriatic acid such as sure klean or similar product. But if you don't find the source of the moisture can and most often will reoccur.

Muriatic acid is dilute hydrochloric acid. Think battery acid. Get a few drips on your clothes and when you wash them, your clothes come out as swiss cheese.

Dry Loc makes a powder thats mixed with water that's a little safer.

Muriatic acid is already premixed, prior to mixing it was hydrocloric acid. Keep it simple gave you the perfect answer. Now keep in mind that this stuff is not hazardous just unsightly. You could leave it or just scrape and sweep when it bugs you.

Source: http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/i...

Here are a few sites to check out:

http://www.moldinspector.com/w...

http://www.moldinspector.com/c......

Here are a few sites to check out:

http://www.moldinspector.com/w...

http://www.moldinspector.com/c...

It can be removed by washing with either a strong detergent or muriatic acid such as sure klean or similar product. But if you don't find the source of the moisture can and most often will reoccur.
http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/i...

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It can be removed by washing with either a strong detergent or muriatic acid such as sure klean or similar product. But if you don't find the source of the moisture can and most often will reoccur.
http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/i...

Other suggestions--X-14 is the best thing for mold. Use Kilns Paint as a preventative. Wear gloves during the cleaning process.


Thoroughly scrub all contaminated surfaces using a stiff brush, hot water and a non-ammonia soap/detergent or commercial cleaner.
Use a stiff brush or cleaning pad on cement-block walls or other uneven surfaces.
Collect excess cleaning liquid with a wet/dry vacuum, mop or sponge.
Rinse area with clean water and collect excess rinse water.
Wash all clothing items in hot soapy water.
Dry all cleaned items thoroughly or mold will return.
After cleaning has removed all visible mold and other soiling from contaminated surfaces, a disinfectant may be used to kill mold that may have been missed by the cleaning.
Mix 1/4 cup bleach per gallon of water and apply to surfaces where mold growth was visible before cleaning. The solution can be applied with a spray bottle or garden sprayer, be sponged on or applied by other methods. Using bleach straight from the bottle is actually LESS effective than diluted bleach.
Allow the bleach solution to dry on the surface, typically 10 minutes is recommended for a bleach solution.

House mold remediation
If you detect a visible mold growth, eliminate it as soon as possible! Or the mold could spread through the house and cause an extensive mold infestation, which is usually not covered by insurance.

Exercise caution when removing molds because they release particles and mold spores when disturbed. Wear a mask or respirator, gloves, goggles, and c...

House mold remediation
If you detect a visible mold growth, eliminate it as soon as possible! Or the mold could spread through the house and cause an extensive mold infestation, which is usually not covered by insurance.

Exercise caution when removing molds because they release particles and mold spores when disturbed. Wear a mask or respirator, gloves, goggles, and coveralls. If the mold growth exceeds 10 sq. ft., calling in a mold remediation professional is recommended. Damaged sheetrock or paneling, and moldy porous items like carpets, clothing, and upholstered furniture usually have to be discarded. (However, BioZap is probably the only mold remover gentle and strong enough to save moldy documents and furniture - see BioZap Air Purifier & Deodorizer.)

If you see a minor mold growth in the basement or a bathroom, remove the mold with BioZap Mold & Mildew Cleaner. It does not contain chlorine bleach or harsh chemicals. It does not release toxic fumes and is not harmful to your health or the environment.

How do you remove invisible molds?
Except for visible mildew growths, molds and mold spores are too small to be visible. If you find an accumulation of molds, it is a sure bet that there is much more molds in the air and all surfaces in the room, as well as in upholstery and carpeting.

Install a couple jars or more of BioZap Air Purifier & Deodorizer in the area. BioZap vapors will permeate the air and surrounding porous surfaces. They will help eliminate molds, mold spores, and biological pathogens floating in the air or hiding inside porous surfaces like sheetrock. They can even restore moldy upholstered furniture or books.

Eliminate musty odors
The musty odor found in most finished basements is the product of hidden molds munching on organic matter. This emits water, carbon dioxide, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) like alcohols and aldehydes. When inhaled, these chemicals irritate respiratory passages. The musty odors, as well as mold spores, are spread by ventilation through the house.

You cannot capture the musty mildew smell with air filters or ionizers. Get rid of the odor by using the BioZap Air Purifier & Deodorizer. BioZap vapors do not mask odors, but break them down. The musty smell in your basement, bathroom, or office should disappear in a matter within a week. It is also effective against other organic odors, as well as smoke.

How about chlorine bleach?
Household chlorine bleaches contain 5.25% active sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), which forms hypochlorous acid (HOCl) when diluted in water. This acid is very effective against many types of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and viruses. However, its use is not recommended in homes because of health and environmental risks.

Chlorine bleach is caustic to human tissues like skin and its lingering fumes are a lung and eye irritant. It can discolor or break down fabrics and is extremely corrosive even to metals. Not recommended for people with respiratory or heart problems. Short-term exposure to the gas may cause mild asthmatic symptoms or more serious respiratory problems. If mixed with ammonia-containing cleaners, it releases toxic chloramine gas (several people have died.). If mixed with acids, including vinegar, it generates highly toxic chlorine gas. Many automatic dishwashing detergent contain chlorine, which reacts with organic matter and when you open the dishwasher door, steamy carcinogenic gases (trihalomethanes) rushes out. Chlorine also reacts readily with organic substances in the environment and creates other hazardous compounds, such as furans and dioxins.

Chlorine bleach is not really an effective solution because it lacks penetration and its effects do not last. It is suitable for smooth surfaces like countertops but they should be pre-washed first because organics will quickly neutralize the bleach. It provides satisfaction by bleaching out the color of mildew but it does not kill its roots inside porous surfaces and provides water for its further growth. If used to remove visible molds on basement or bathroom walls, the molds will usually start growing back within days. In contrast, BioZap mold remover penetrates into porous surfaces and helps destroy the roots of molds (mycelium). Morover, it leaves residue inside the pores and below the surface, preventing the return of molds for weeks.

Other bleaches have similar shortcomings.

The home invasion of molds and mildew
"About 38 percent of homes have mold and fungus growth due to elevated moisture." (The American Society of Home Inspectors) This problem is often worse in modern, tighter homes with little ventilation. There are thousands of mold species. Outdoors, they live in soil and help break down organic matter - without molds, we would all drown in dead leaves and organic debris.

Molds are simple microscopic organisms, a sub-group of fungi, which also includes mushrooms and yeasts. They are too small to be visible but can be detected by a musty odor. When filamentous molds grow, they multiply exponentially and form a visible body (mycelium) of intertwining strings. Molds can appear and feel powdery or cottony, and be green, gray, brown, black, white, or a combination of these colors. Molds growing on textiles are called mildew, but there is no technical difference.

In order to grow, molds need 1) moisture, 2) suitable temperature, and 3) food - organic materials. They grow on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood products, paints, wallpaper, insulation materials, drywall, carpet, and fabric. They produce mold spores (seeds), which waft in the air throughout the house, forming new colonies wherever they land. Molds flourish in damp areas like crawl spaces, basements, bathrooms (especially shower stalls), air conditioners, humidifiers, clothing closets, refrigerator drip trays, house plants, garbage pails, mattresses, upholstered furniture, and often in new houses because of all the moisture evaporating from new concrete and lumber.

Molds are everywhere, outdoors or indoors, and any type of mold can trigger or aggravate allergies, whether toxic or not. Hazardous or safe levels have not been established because the health effects depend so much on the individual. Therefore, if you detect a mold growth or a musty odor, it is more urgent to get rid of the mold rather than finding out what type it is.

The toxic black mold
Some molds produce extremely potent toxins called mycotoxins. Exposure to mycotoxins can present a greater health hazard than the mold itself and may cause short and long term health effects. Large amounts of mycotoxins in air can cause serious illnesses like toxicosis (invasive infection). Some are carcinogenic and cause, for example, kidney cancer.

The "toxic black mold" has become the most feared of all molds. Many private homes and several schools had to be evacuated. Homeowners have lost their homes, because most insurance companies exclude mold damage. However, there are many mold types that are black in color or produce black pigments and that are common in houses, particularly in bathrooms and basements.

The black molds known to produce mycotoxins include Stachybotrys chartarum and Memnoniella. Stachybotrys is a greenish-black fungus that grows on materials with a high cellulose content, such as drywall sheetrock, dropped ceiling tiles, and wood which became chronically moist due to excessive humidity, water leaks, or flooding. Stachybotrys can cause nervous system symptoms such as sleep disorders, memory loss, and personality changes. It has been linked to fatal bleeding in the lungs of infants, but this is disputed.

Stachybotrys has been found in 2% to 3% of homes. If black or dark green mold is growing on materials containing cellulose, often resulting from a persistent water leak, it is prudent not to disturb it and test first whether it is a toxic mold.

That is a liken that can be killed using a bleach solution sprayed on them.

We had the same problem in the house that we were selling. We had professionals come out and wanted to charge us $5200. to remove the mold. It was in our basement, which was cold and damp.

I spoke with some neighbors who also had similar problems.

The solution:
...

We had the same problem in the house that we were selling. We had professionals come out and wanted to charge us $5200. to remove the mold. It was in our basement, which was cold and damp.

I spoke with some neighbors who also had similar problems.

The solution:

Scrub the areas with bleach. Spray the bleach onto the affected areas, be certain that it is ventilated, and you wear a respirator.

Let sit a few hours; then scrub with a scrub brush. It will resolve your problem.

Its not an easy task to accomplish; (dealing with the chemical) so you may wish to find someone to help.

Best of luck to you, and take care.

Get a Brand new spray bottle and put some bleach in it, ( full strength) just make sure you label it and keep it put up somewhere where children couldn't reach, and spray the affected area once a day until you notice it has gone away. It has worked for me hopefully you will try it before spending alot of money on other solutions. Best of Luck.