Removing old paint from basement walls

Can someone suggest a product that will safely strip the paint from my basement walls?

The poured concrete walls need repairs in several places due to effloresence, and I do not know what stripper to use. I assume I would wash the walls afterward with TSP.

 

You can remove all traces of efflorescence by scrubbing and cleaning with muriatic acid (most dangerous) or phosphoric acid (least dangerous), drying walls (don't have to be completely dry just not wet), and apply a couple coats of masonry sealer compatible with latex paint will tend to solve your problems. Such products will not stop water flow through the foundation. Remember, efflorescence is due to mineral rich migration of water through the basement walls. The problem could also be resolved by making sure gutters and downspouts are clear and water is draining away from the foundation. Also, soil around foundation should be sloped in such away that water drains away from the house. Failure of waterproofing material on exterior of foundation can not be compensated for by interior applications. You might find more info available re: basement wall waterproofing by searching on your favorite search engine.

 

Thanks for the info. Actually I have not found much searching on "basement waterproofing" other than to get homepages from companies specializing in the service.

I have installed longer drains from the house and also took out a couple of large shrubs growing up against the foundation.

I know that this problem is coming from the outside of my basement walls. As it is an old house (67 yrs), I suspect there may be no waterproofing at all on the outside of the basement.

I plan to clean off the efflorescence as you suggested, but there are parts of the wall where the paint is stuck to the wall and I wanted to know if there was a special stripper for concrete, or if just any sort of paint stripper would do.

Thanks.