Cleaning up After a Plumbing Leak Isn't as Fun as It Sounds

There's a gaping hole in our bathroom wall with a musty smell leaching out of it. The leak that caused it has been found and repaired. But now, I gotta clean up the mess. Try not to be jealous.
Here are the highlights, you can enjoy all the (messy) details in the blog.
With constant shop-vac clogs and an unreachable mess, I really needed to access the cavity closer up.
The vanity wall would make a perfect location for a new access hatch. All it required was an act of painful contortion, winding my way into the cabinet, legs bent around the toilet, bashing my head, and resting my kidney on the sharp wooden edge. Nothing to it!
Only a loud power tool, spraying sawdust in my face was able to improve the delightful experience.
With the new hole, air could truly get circulating.
Mold and mildew are the enemy. I concocted a solution of water and a concentrated cleaning product I'd found at the home center. The lemon scented product claims to be a deodorizer, disinfectant, "mildewsat", and "virucide". I loaded it into the garden sprayer...
... and crawled headfirst back into the hole. I soaked the entire area down, everywhere I could spray the solution. Have you ever tried having a conversation with an inquisitive 1st grader while wearing a respirator, contorted in a cabinet, with your head in the wall? Try it, pure delight!
It's going to stay like this, for at least a week. I don't want any mold or mildew cropping up in the walls after I make the repairs.
John @ AZ DIY Guy
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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 2 comments
  • Lisa Lisa on Apr 26, 2014
    Wow! Lucky you!
  • Samantha Yee Samantha Yee on Dec 27, 2016
    Same thing happened to us but through a different access point hahaha. We didnt know what to do so he had it done by plumbers and home repair services from Kaodim.sg they did great though! I just didnt understand that it could get as messy as it did with you hahahaha
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