Treating Concrete After a Flood
Almost a month after flooding in the Northeastern U.S., homes are finally drying out and getting cleaned up. People are dealing with flooded basements, damaged cars and broken concrete.
According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) flood conditions contribute to the growth and transmission of many fungi which can cause sickness, especially in those cleaning up the aftermath. Many fungi are harmless but some cause problems if inhaled, especially in people with existing respiratory problems. Prolonged skin contact with flood waters can lead to fungal skin infections so it is important to wash skin regularly with warm soapy water and to try to stay as dry as possible.
Some tips to consider:
- Avoid breathing fungal spores that can look like dust.
- When working with moldy or damp hay, grain, compost or building materials, use at least an N-95 NIOSH-approved disposable respirator.
- Discard as much water-damaged material as possible, especially if mold is visible.
- Lightly molded surfaces should be scrubbed with warm, soapy water and rinsed with solution of ½ cup-bleach to 1-gallon of water.
- Clean and disinfect concrete where there is microbial growth using detergents, chlorine-generating slimicides or other biocides.
After cleanup is complete and concrete is completely dry, use Concrete Welder in cartridges to fill cracks in concrete. If there is uneven pavement, it can be leveled using FloMix for asphalt and FlexSet for concrete. By filling these cracks you can prevent further damage to your concrete or asphalt , and keep out moisture. Avoiding moisture will prevent further problems with fungi.
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use laundry dneergett-like liquid tide that’ll do the best job getting the bulk of it off. Then, if you still have some slight discoloration, use common household vinegar, but be sure to flush it off thoroughly, since it is a light acid, and it will eat the concrete eventually.
I’ve never heard of using Tide on your concrete after a flood but I have heard of using Dawn, or other degreasing liquid dishwashing detergent to tackle oil drips in a concrete driveway.