Mold on concrete, what to do?

Here is the answer!
 

If you have an old concrete floor at home or in your weekend house, you know probably from personal experience that a concrete floor loses quality over time. It breaks, is uneven and mold forms. A brittle floor is very difficult to clean and mold cannot be removed with just a strong jet of water. This only helps temporarily and does not solve the problem. Are you annoyed by recurring mold? Read some tips to make your fight against mold easier.

Cracks and mold on concrete floors are quite common phenomena that occur both indoors and outdoors. Not only do such areas not look good, mold also poses a health risk. It causes allergies, eye infections, asthma, joint pain, inflammation of the respiratory tract, and some mutations can even lead to pneumonia and subsequent death. Therefore, it is in your interest to remove the mold as best as possible, be it in the garage, in the weekend house, holiday home or on the patio tiles.

First the floor must be cleaned

It is clear that simply cleaning the floor cannot have a lasting effect. However, this is the step to start with. There are several ways to do this. The easiest way is to remove the mold with a strong jet of water, but it will take a long time for the concrete to dry. And if you don't manage to ventilate the rooms properly, the mold will continue to thrive.

An alternative is various chemical agents, steam cleaners or products that are constantly used in the household. You can also use bleach or vinegar to combat the mold, but these must not be diluted. You should be very careful with the bleach because it can irritate the respiratory tract. Probably the most reliable solution is chemical agents to combat mold.

However, the problem does not end there. What should I do after removing the mold to prevent it from recurring?

A penetration coating is an economical option

If you are looking for a simple solution, we recommend a penetration coating. Before applying, the floor must be perfectly dry, otherwise the painting will bring more worries than benefits. It is absorbed into the dry concrete, sealing the floor and preventing the formation of mold and moss.

Penetration coatings are quite inexpensive and they are very easy to use, even without outside help. However, these do not help if a brittle surface needs to be leveled. In such a case, a top coat should be applied.

A cement screed is not recommended for a damp subfloor

If the room in which the concrete floor is located is very damp, a cement screed is completely the wrong solution. With the paint you close the concrete surface and thereby prevent the evaporation of moisture. Over time, the surface loosens and the mold continues to thrive.

If you want to use a screed, the concrete should be insulated against moisture and allowed to dry out properly. Then it is an effective solution that removes unevenness from the surface.

Above all, you should not trap the moisture in the floor with tiles

If you decide to lay another layer on top of the concrete, tiles are another option. However, these may not just be laid on the floor. It is recommended to first apply a penetrating coat or insulate the concrete floor so that the absorbency of the material is reduced. Otherwise, the concrete could absorb moisture again and thereby form mold.

Underside of the terramondi tiles

If you are looking for a solution for a constantly damp room, then you are better off with PVC tiles from terramondi. These have a unique system on the underside with drainage channels that counteract moisture. No moisture means no mold. In addition, the PVC tiles are laid freely, so the floor covering can be dismantled at any time so that the concrete can dry, and a new penetration coat can possibly be applied to protect itor mold is applied and the tiles are laid again. This is not possible with ceramic tiles.

Which flooring is the best so that mold never appears again?

Remember that mold is bad for your health. So don't hesitate and invest a little more money. Just forget about a penetrating coat, it doesn't help much. It is better not to take risks and not to use cement screed, because once you seal the floor, you will not know what is happening inside until the top layer cracks. This also applies to ceramic tiles. However, if you don't underestimate the penetration coating, it could work - but if you don't live in a flood zone. It would be better to use a floor covering that can be removed, dried and re-laid.

The PVC tiles terramondi give you the opportunity to remove the covering at any time. to see whether the battle against the mold has been won. In any case, it makes sense to apply a penetration coat even under the PVC nasty. Do everything you can and don’t give mold a chance. As a reward you will have a floor that is harmless to your health.