4 Types of Brick Cleaning Products

side of a brick building

Over time, bricks become stained with chemicals, organic growth, deposits, and others substances. Brick cleaning products facilitate the restoration of brickwork to its original clean state. Their cleaning should always start from the mildest to the most abrasive ones. Since cleaning can do a certain amount of damage, you should be cautious about the brick cleaning products you use. Below are several types of cleaners that work well on bricks.

1. Mold and Mildew Removers

brick wall covered in mold

Molds, mildew, and other organic growth such as algae can cause unpleasant discoloration on bricks. The trick to removing such stains is to avoid using a pressure washer as it will harm the mortar in between. A better solution is to buy a bleach product. There are two types of bleach you can use for the purpose; however, make sure you choose the safer option. One is chlorine bleach which kills tough molds and mildew but can be very toxic to other organic life forms and to humans as well. It is safer to opt for oxygen bleach. Simply dissolve it in water and apply on the surface. Allow it to sit for about ten minutes before scrubbing the brick and then rinse afterwards.

2. Acid Solutions

Acids are very powerful brick cleaning products, but you should use them with utmost care to prevent damage to the brick. These solutions can clean deposits, hard-to-clean stains, rust, and almost any other stain caused by chemicals. One of the recommended substances for brick cleaning is muriatic acid. This product contains hydrochloric acid, a powerful substance that can burn the skin. When preparing muriatic acid for cleaning, make sure that it makes only ten percent of the entire mix. To get a good solution, add one part of the acid to nine parts of water in a plastic container. Spread on the brick and allow it to work for about ten minutes before scrubbing. Wash the brick with water afterwards.

3. Degreasers

pile of tsp

You can remove soot, oil, and grease effectively with the help of degreasing products. The most popular degreasing agent that has been used for decades is detergent. You can mix it with water and apply to the affected areas. Detergent can remove grease, oil, and other mild stains. However, not all staining can be treated with ease. When degreasers are not effective, other stronger products should be used. One such degreaser is trisodium phosphate, a chemical and a strong cleaning agent that should be used only as a last resort. If opting for this product, mix half a cup of the chemical with a gallon of water and apply. Allow to stay on the brick for about ten minutes and scrub afterwards.

4. Paint Removers

Paint removing products are harmful to human health. For this reason, one should apply them with safety precautions in mind. Chemicals such as paint thinners are typically used for cleaning purposes, but there are other methods and ways to consider. These include sand blasting and pressure washing.