Algea on the floor

[SoakZone]

Our IBA floor under the dryers is extremely slippery due to algae growing on the cement. Any suggestions as to how to remove it?

We've tried CLR, Scale Away, citrus cleaners... nothing seems to work too well. Any suggestions before my staff and I slip and crack our melon? Thanks!

 

[washnshine]

I

Our IBA floor under the dryers is extremely slippery due to algae growing on the cement. Any suggestions as to how to remove it?

We've tried CLR, Scale Away, citrus cleaners... nothing seems to work too well. Any suggestions before my staff and I slip and crack our melon? Thanks!

I’d soak it in a solution of beach and water - probably start on the weaker side and work up if needed. Let it soak for maybe 15 minutes, then scrub it with a stiff brush, then power wash down the drain.

 

[traveler17]

Our IBA floor under the dryers is extremely slippery due to algae growing on the cement. Any suggestions as to how to remove it?

We've tried CLR, Scale Away, citrus cleaners... nothing seems to work too well. Any suggestions before my staff and I slip and crack our melon? Thanks!

I spray mine 50/50 bleach and walk away, I’ve never had to scrub it. i also put out around 4 or 5 chlorine tablets in the corners and that helps

 

[MEP001]

I spray mine 50/50 bleach and walk away, I’ve never had to scrub it.

Same. Spray it toward the end of the day and leave it, and the next day it'll be dead and will wash off easily. If it's really bad, pressure-wash the bulk of it off, then spray it with bleach.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

twice every summer, 50/50 bleach & water in the evening, then pressure wash it off in the morning.
I was just thinking yesterday that it's time for round 1.

 

[CheetahExpress]

We spray straight bleach on it and then power wash.

 

[Randy]

Twice a year we spray straight bleach on the floors and walls, let it dwell for a few minutes and then use a Turbo nozzle to remove the algae. Algae loves to grow in the car wash environment, wet all the time, chemicals. I also have a problem with moss on the outer edges of the parking lot.

 

[Scott220]

Also use bleach and water periodically. Next time I was gonna try ”Wet and Forget” after cleaning to see if it will maintain it longer. Also, do yourself a favor and got to Lowes and pickup one of those 14” high pressure discs for your pressure washer. Only around $60-$70 bucks. Only way to clean large areas!

 

[washnshine]

Algae loves to grow in the car wash environment, wet all the time, chemicals.

It sure does. Back when we used to use traditional cloth, the top foot or so of our mitters used to get algae. It was the line above where the detergent would get on the cloth, and it would only get wet with water. Never caused a problem, but we would clean it because it looked bad. I think the detergent kept it from getting on the rest of the mitters because the lower parts get soaked in soap.

 

[Eric H]

I used to have algae growth on my SS bay floors. At some point I switched soaps and I no longer have an issue. Does anyone know what is in the soap that promotes the algae growth? Based on my experience it seems to be an issue that can be mostly eliminated. I just don’t know what change I made to control the problem!

 

[washnshine]

I used to have algae growth on my SS bay floors. At some point I switched soaps and I no longer have an issue. Does anyone know what is in the soap that promotes the algae growth? Based on my experience it seems to be an issue that can be mostly eliminated. I just don’t know what change I made to control the problem!

I’m not sure that there is an ingredient in soap that promotes algae growth, but I think the higher pH keeps it from growing. Maybe what was on your floor was just from the generally wet environment, and your new soap kept it from forming. Just a guess - damp environments that do not come in contact with any detergent seem to encourage the growth.

 

[Dirt]

sometimes i'll sprinkle swimming pool shock

 

[Roz]

The price for 3” chlorine Pool tabs has gone through the roof if you can find them due to a plant that manufactures them going down within the last year. Learned that there are few manufacturers of those tabs.

 

[Greg Pack]

Old post but I thought I'd add something new since "algae season" is upon us.

I've recently started using algaecide at the carwash in a sprayer. There is a consumer brand product called wet and forget designed to remove mold, mildew, and moss from surfaces that I've used on my home. It actually works pretty well as long as your patient. As the name implies you just spray it on and walk away. Over time the rain will wash it away and the surfaces look cleaner. The active ingredient in wet and forget is actually an alagecide used in some swimming pool products. It's called Alkyldimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride. Don't get the algaecide with copper in it. I bought some concentrate (50%) and am mixing it in a garden sprayer at the rate of 4 oz per gallon. I'm spraying it on anything that looks dark and/or green floors, walls, equipment, etc. It's not corrosive and safe for most any surface. It's not magic and doesn't offer that instant "look better" that bleach does but the residual effects of preventing new growth at this point appear to be very encouraging and more effective than bleach. I think I'm going to add it to the monthly maintenance schedule as a preventative, probably afetr washing the bay floor to get the best residual effect.. This is what I'm using- different products have different concentrations and I think you want a final dilution of around 2% of this product so do your math. Amazon algaecide

 

[Randy]

Is this the stuff you use https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=wet+and+forget&&view=detail&mid=BF32BC762C09F00B96E2BF32BC762C09F00B96E2&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=/videos/search?q=wet%20and%20forget&&FORM=VDVVXX
I get about a year out of a bleach treatment before I have to do it again. I buy the cheap bleach at Dollar tree and spray it on the walls straight out of the jug. I don't like the smell of the bleach so I might have to give this a try.

 

[MEP001]

Greg, how long does the algaecide last after a treatment? For me, bleach at a 50/50 mix with water completely kills the stuff and it takes a couple months for it to come back.

 

[Greg Pack]

Greg, how long does the algaecide last after a treatment? For me, bleach at a 50/50 mix with water completely kills the stuff and it takes a couple months for it to come back.

I'm still in the early stages of testing guys, things are looking good at about the 30 day mark. I was having to re-treat with bleach every couple of weeks in spots that stayed pretty wet and didn't get much sun. I guess it depends on how busy the place is and how wet the area stays. What caught my attention is even the SS bay floors are looking cleaner than previous Summers. What I thought was just general dirt must have actually been mildew.

Randy, Wet and forget has the same active ingredient as this. It's just less concentrated, I think it is around 10% where the pool algaecide in the link above is 50%.. These two quarts can mix up 16 gallons total of solution at a final cost of around 2.50 per gallon, roughly the same cost as 6% bleach diluted with water I guess .

Again, it's not magic and the green doesn't disappear before your eyes like bleach can do. But just another tool that is potentially a little easier to use(non corrosive neutral ph) and hopefully longer acting. It's nice to spray something overhead without worrying what clothes you're wearing too. I sprayed it on the upper parts of my cloth units which actually had moss growing on the very tops. I rinsed everything off, and re applied the product to hopefully retard future growth. I'll try to report back in a Month or so.

 

[Bob Koo]

I'm still in the early stages of testing guys, things are looking good at about the 30 day mark. I was having to re-treat with bleach every couple of weeks in spots that stayed pretty wet and didn't get much sun. I guess it depends on how busy the place is and how wet the area stays. What caught my attention is even the SS bay floors are looking cleaner than previous Summers. What I thought was just general dirt must have actually been mildew.

Randy, Wet and forget has the same active ingredient as this. It's just less concentrated, I think it is around 10% where the pool algaecide in the link above is 50%.. These two quarts can mix up 16 gallons total of solution at a final cost of around 2.50 per gallon, roughly the same cost as 6% bleach diluted with water I guess .

Again, it's not magic and the green doesn't disappear before your eyes like bleach can do. But just another tool that is potentially a little easier to use(non corrosive neutral ph) and hopefully longer acting. It's nice to spray something overhead without worrying what clothes you're wearing too. I sprayed it on the upper parts of my cloth units which actually had moss growing on the very tops. I rinsed everything off, and re applied the product to hopefully retard future growth. I'll try to report back in a Month or so.

Hey, Greg, we are the same testing products. I am trying Moss Be Gone from Quest. I've been using it in my automatic bays for the past few months and just spray it on. The algae will turn brown and goes away in a few days. It does appear to have some residual.
It's a product that has been in Quest's product line for a while and I just using it. It seems to work well and not that expensive

 

[soapy]

I have always just used Bleach.

 

[Greg Pack]

Hey, Greg, we are the same testing products. I am trying Moss Be Gone from Quest. I've been using it in my automatic bays for the past few months and just spray it on. The algae will turn brown and goes away in a few days. It does appear to have some residual.
It's a product that has been in Quest's product line for a while and I just using it. It seems to work well and not that expensive

Thanks bob I'll check that out!