Aside from being unsightly, having mold in your basement can bring on that musty, damp smell that tends to stick to clothes, furniture and basically everything else that stays within the area for more than a few minutes. Also, molds can also bring about all other sort of the bacterial and fungal growth, which can affect human and animal health. The next thing you know, you are practically breeding mildew (or worse, mushrooms!) down in the basement. There are actually a lot of advice on how to remove mold from basement walls and floors. But if done incorrectly, you can be facing this problem on a monthly or weekly basis. What you really need to do is remove mold from that area permanently. Here are some tips on how to do just that.
1. Before you start anything, it is important to wipe away visible mold from the basement floor and walls. This is to prevent you from inhaling mold and mildew spores. It would be best to mix 1 part bleach with 3 parts water and spray this solution where the mold and mildew sticks out. A good steel brush would be great to use here as long as the walls and floors will not be abraded. However, if you have surfaces that may easily be damaged by the constant rubbing motions caused by the steel brush, try this instead.
Use the bleach solution on the surface and wipe down with a soft cloth. Now take another solution (made up of 1 part liquid detergent with anti-bacterial properties and 5 parts water) and spray this on the wall. Leave it for an hour. After that time, spray the bleach solution again and give it another rub down with the soft cloth. This should not only clear the visible molds but eliminate most of the musty smell as well. It should be noted though that this is but a temporary solution and should be done only once. Bleach is a powerful cleaning agent that may cause more harm to a person than the mold problem.
2. Check your carpets and any other fabric that may be constantly coming in contact with the basement walls and floors. Carpets are notorious for being the bed of molds and fabrics may carry mildew spores as well. If possible, you need to take out these items and have them dry-cleaned by professionals. Or, in order to save money, you can use strong carpet cleaning solutions with anti-mold properties, and make sure that these are totally dry when you re-install them in the basement.
On the other hand, if the carpets cannot be removed from the space, it is highly recommendable that you hire professional carpet cleaners to do the cleaning for you. Advise them of the mold problem so that they can bring in dry chemical cleaners. Never use water and soap on these kinds of carpets. The residue moisture will only encourage molds to spread.
3. At this stage, you would need a thorough inspection of your plumbing as well. You might also want to call in the pros. For starters, there might be areas where water is either leaking in from the outside. Check the perimeter of the house and have water barriers installed. You should also look into wall boards as well. Any sign of moisture or moisture stain can be the breeding ground of mold and mildew. Give the affected areas double coating of waterproof paint or sealants. If possible, give your entire basement the same treatment. This should prevent any more molds from appearing for a very long time.