Cleaning basement concrete

[jneiberger]

I need to clean a basement that periodically housed a couple of dogs who tended to do their business down there. The waste material has been cleaned up and I used Pine Sol to clean and disinfect the area, but now the concrete is stained and discolored. I'm thinking of using an actual concrete cleaner, like the stuff from Behr, but I was wondering if any of you had any tips first.

Is there something a little less caustic than concrete cleaner that I could use? That stuff sounds pretty nasty and I think it is more suited for use on outside concrete than inside a basement.

Any thoughts?

Thanks! John

[hallerb]

muriatic acid might be a worthwhile choice.

then wait a month if the odor persists as I suspect it will you will need to seal the concrete with something like outdoor polyurethane or epoxy floor paint.

the urine odor gets in the concrete and will reappear every time moisture is present

[jneiberger]

Is that paint the sort of thing I can pick up at Home Depot or Lowe's? I can't find it at Home Depot, and the stuff at Lowe's is $72/gallon! That's a little on the steep side. I've been searching for "concrete sealant", "concrete sealer", etc.

Thanks, John

[jneiberger]

I guess I should mention that this is not going to be a high traffic area like a garage would be, so it doesn't need to be as hard as an epoxy paint might be. On the other hand, I don't want it to peel up in a few months. Then again, this place is going to be sold soon so it would no longer be my problem. :-)

So, assuming that it is more for cosmetic reasons, and perhaps to seal in some of the odor, do you have any inexpensive recommendations?

Thanks! John

[jneiberger]

I just noticed that Behr has an acrylic epoxy coating but their usage instructions include using their mildew remover, their etching chemical, their cleaner/degreaser, and their primer before using the paint. Is that really necessary for a quick and dirty job?

I'm very tempted to just use the paint and skip the rest. This coating is simply to make the floor look better and to seal in some of the odor that might try to come back. I don't think any of that is necessary, except perhaps the primer, and I'm even tempted to skip that, too.

Any thoughts?

John

[hallerb]

YOU MUST DISCLOSE the odor problem!!!

If you dont and it returns the buyer can sue you. Your much better off spending the bucks and do it right.

otherwise the odor comes back and the buyer say has the concrete floor removed and replaced.

AT YOUR EXPENSE!

smelly homes just dont sell and when they finally do its at a big discount.

[jneiberger]

The house doesn't really smell now. I'm more concerned with just covering up the unsightly stains left over from the mess (and possibly my cleanup efforts with Pine Sol. ) It doesn't stink in the basement, so I'm not that concerned about it. I'm primarily interested in making it look better without spending $100 to cover a 12 x 10 section of concrete.

You make an excellent point, though, and if we notice any odor, we will disclose it.

[hallerb]

currently your basement smells of pine sol?

later once the home is sold the pine odor will fade. a stink at that point can cost you BIG BUCKS.

whereas YOU would likely decide to seal the flooor properly to be rid oif the odor once and for all the new oweners will spare no expense getting rid of stink:(

Hey hon why not just rip the entire floor up and replace it? that way it will never be a problem again... costly? who cares it the old owners cost not ours!

stuff like this happens daily in the US. buyers want a perfect home, just wait till your worked over by a idiot home inspector...

good luck its not my frief or money I am just warning you, cutting costs sounds woonderful till it comes back and bites you $$$:(

its not the problems of today that you must disclose, its the issues oof the past that might return.......

a old nneighbor sold and didnt disclose bad sewer line, terracota pipe every one in neighborhood has troubles. new owner had troubles. sued original owner and got 8 grand plus all court costs and legal fees, about 10 grand, which hap[ppened to be over 10% of homes value, it was sold as fixer upper for 90 grand.

pittsburgh has some of the lowest home prices in the country thanks to population loss, I sold a basically identical home just doors away for

113,000 grand all nicely remodeled.

its a nice neighborhood growing in value convenient to everything

[jneiberger]

No, this basement does not smell like Pine Sol. :-) I just mentioned it because that was what I used to clean it and, in hindsight, I don't know if that was the best thing for the concrete, cosmetically speaking.

I think I'm overstating the extent of problem. The basement does not currently smell. I only mentioned a possible future smell because you brought it up and I thought it was a fair point. My initial post was simply about covering the stains for cosmetic purposes, not to try to seal in any odor. I think it just looks bad but it doesn't smell bed. Maybe Pine Sol was a good choice in that regard, but the concrete just looks bad now.

I suppose one option is not to do anything because I don't think it's going to cause any problems, but it just doesn't look very good.

I understand what you're saying about disclosure. If there were an odor then I'd definitely disclose the cause. So far, there is no odor, just stains.

Thanks! John

[Larry Jaques]

On 9 Jul 2006 20:13:25 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, " [e-mail]" quickly quoth:

I prepped well and then used a porch paint. It's 1/4 the price and works nearly as well.

Follow the instructions. Lack of prep work is the -main- cause for most finish failures.

----------------------------------------------------------------- When I die, I'm leaving my body to science fiction. --Steven Wright ----------------------------

Comprehensive Website Development

[gg]

cement is caustic to begin with from the lime in it. so a caustic cleaner wilnot react with it. bleach is just chlorine bubbled it a acid so it will react with the cement.and help to remove smell but a stronger caustic will eat up all organic matter on the floor,like dog poop. this should be rather easy to clean

[Phisherman]

I sealed my concrete basement floor with a clear epoxy. Can't recall the product (15 years ago, Home Depot), but it was a little pricey. I used it in my garage too. Visitors asked what I used and commented that it looked good. Best of all, I can sweep up sawdust and wipe up spills easily. It stays clean, has not peeled. Looking back, I'm glad I did not use anything else. When you mix muriatic acid (HCl) with water, slowly add the acid to the water (outdoors) wearing goggles and protective clothing. I recommend disposing of any acid you have left over, rather than storing it somewhere as it will attack most metals. Wash your hands with baking soda. Sure, it can be "nasty" but it is safe when you follow the precautions.

[jneiberger]

I just found some stuff at Home Depot called Krud Kutter that looks like it should do the job as far as cleaning goes. If the spots still look bad after that then I'll go back and get some slate grey floor and porch paint that I found. It's only $17 and it looks like two coats would do the trick. You don't need a separate primer, and the only requirement is that the floor be clean, which it will be.

We'll see how the cleaner works tonight.

Thanks! John

[steve]

[steve]