Mold and Mildew

[Bohica1a4]

I've got great space in my basement that I would like to make grow space. However, there is a mildew issue; leaky pipes make a perfect breeding ground. I would like to start setting this space up very soon to get my babies out of the closet.

My instincts tell me to get a bottle of good old Lysol disinfectant, throw it in a sprayer and let loose on all the walls and floor.

Can anyone suggest a good mildew remover/preventer? OR am I good with the Lysol?

[Bohica1a4]

BTW-- I would make the spray down a monthly thing to stay ahead of the game.

The space I would be using is what used to be a darkroom. How lucky is that? Don't have to worry about light leak. It's already taken care of. Everything I need is (shelves, sink, 4 foot flouros, electricity...) There's even some unused flouro fixtures that I could add. Unfortunately, I had to disconnect the pipes for running water, but that's not a big deal.

[The HSIC]

Start with bleach & water buddy. It'll kill everything.
Peace

Originally Posted by videoman

Start with bleach & water buddy. It'll kill everything.
Peace

And a hell of a lot cheaper than Lysol... Cant go wrong with bleach... Get a resperator or try and vent the fumes, nasty stuff to inhale..

Sock

[scott06]

you may well need a pretty heavy duty humidifier or that mold and mildew will return plenty quick...be careful chlorine fumes can be fatal!

[DieAbetic]

clean it up and keep your plants off the ground and you should be good to go!

[GSR]

Hey Bohica1ay,
Defiantly water and bleach Not to strong, 1/2 cup per gallon; good ventilation is a MUST! What is leaking and can it be repaired?

[Bohica1a4]

The joints in the pipes were kind of old and corroded. I'm not quite sure how long they were leaking until a couple of days ago when I went to check out the space. There was quite the puddle on the floor. It is fixed (there is still one spot that has a little leak that I will deal with over the weekend. There was also a leak from my kitchen, which is right over the room I want to use. There are other rooms in the basement that don't leak but they are kind of wrecked at the moment. The guy who was living in them trashed them and I just get annoyed when I walk in them. I picked the darkroom for obvious reasons (no light leak, sink...).
I'm not worrying about anyone going in the basement. The only other person in the house is semi-disabled and can't get down the stairs. Once the other rooms are cleaned out (understatement), I will have a room for chillin' and a room for drying. It's a pretty cush setup.

[Bohica1a4]

Oh yeah... I know all about the bleach fumes.

Thanks for the info.

[GSR]

Sounds like you have the beginnings or an awesome setup. I bet it stays cool down there too. You might be able to grow some purple strain. How big will your room be?

[Bohica1a4]

The grow room is about 13x9. The sink takes up most of one side and the other side has a long counter. Since the sink is so big, I'm thinking that I can put the plants in it and I don't have to worry about drainage and it will make flushing easier. Unfortunately, the pipes I capped were the fresh water pipes. But there is another water source that I can attach a hose to.
The other 2 rooms are 20x14 and 26x14. The bigger one was my bedroom but I moved back upstairs.

[jangel]

I have also used Scrubbing Bubbles, the origanal one for disinfecting. But stick with the bleach and water initially. I keep it on hand as I am in a basement as well. I get occasional mold from the damp, and the scrubbing bubbles are great for spot cleaning. It kills everything. Good for disinfecting pots as well, just make sure you rinse really well if you use on anything that will touch your plants. Just spray, wait 10 min, and rinse. works like a charm.

[Bohica1a4]

I think that once I get the floor and walls dry, it will stay dry. The basement itself does not leak. The only time it gets wet is when there is a plumbing problem. At least as far as I know and I know this house very well.

I also think that once the walls are bleached and dry, I"ll throw a thick coat or two of Kilz primer on them. This not only will give me a nice reflective space, this stuff also helps the preventative measures.

Oh... the possibilites

http://www.greenpassion.org/f22/free...o-heaven-6195/

[GSR]

You could have an awesome room in the near future. Way to go. Keep us posted, I'll show you pics if you show me pics. lol

[Bohica1a4]

Pics are very nice. I was up all night last night thinking about the possibilities and drawing out a plan. I'll post it when it's done to get input.


Thanks all