How to Clean Brick

Whether you enjoy the elegance of a brick exterior, brick pavers, fireplace or flooring, learning how to clean brick will help your brick maintain its original beauty.

Cleaning the brick of your fireplace is part of how to clean your room.

People choose brick siding for a number of reasons. First of all it offers classic beauty that raises the resale value of your home. It is almost maintenance free because it is durable, doesn't require paint, and termites don't bother it. However, if you're brick becomes discolored or stained here are a few tips for cleaning:

With all the advice out there dealing with how to clean brick, it is equally important to know what not to do when cleaning brick siding. Let's start there.

1. Don't use muriatic acid because it may permanently discolor or mottle brick.
2. Don't sandblast. You've probably seen it done and it looks good, but the problem is that sandblasting can harm the surface of fired brick. When this happens, the brick becomes susceptible to water damage. Not only that, but you also run the following risks (especially on older homes):

• • Brick becomes pitted
  • It can soften mortar joints

If your brick siding is extremely soiled, there are options that work like sand-blasting but that require less pressure. However, even these alternatives can potentially do some damage, so use with extreme care:

• Nutshells
• Rice hulls
• Styrofoam balls

If your brick is not heavily soiled but has stains or discoloration the following cleaner may be enough to clean it.

• Mix four ounces of naphtha soap (shaved) in one quart of hot water.
• Dissolve soap
• Let mixture cool
• Add ½ pound of powdered pumice
• Add ½ cup ammonia

1. Apply the mixture with a paintbrush and let set for one hour.
2. Remove the dried mixture with a stiff-bristle brush
3. Rinse
4. Clean one more time with a sponge and mixture of warm water with a little dishwashing soap.
5. Rinse with warm water.

Brick pavers make a popular choice for patios, pathways and driveways. This opens them up to a number of stains such as food, oil, not to mention mold which can become slippery when the pavers are wet.

• Power washing: Power washing is usually an effective way to remove mold and many stains, but you have to be careful not to use pressure above 3,000 psi. Higher pressure not only can damage the brick, but it can also wash away a good portion of the joint sand between the bricks. If you do have a problem with mold, it is best to clean your brick pavers while the mold is growing for best results.
• Bleach solution: Another option for cleaning mold from your brick pavers is to mix one part bleach to ten parts of water. Apply the bleach solution with a stiff-bristle brush and scrub. It's best to try this on a small area, preferably out-of-the-way like in a corner and then wait for about a week to make sure you don't experience any undesirable changes in color.
• Oil or Petrol Products: If you need to remove stains caused by oil or petrol products, you may want to purchase a commercial cleaner or talk to a professional service.

If your brick pavers aren't heavily soiled, it doesn't take a lot of work to keep them clean. Sweep them thoroughly, and wash with a solution of warm water and a household detergent. Apply with a broom and concentrate on spots that need a little extra attention. Rinse with the hose and let it dry and you're done.

No matter what brick surface you are cleaning, it's important to exercise caution. Test the cleaning solution on a less obvious area. Also, be sure to wear goggles to protect your eyes..

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