Cleaning Brickwork

Brick acid... designed for the job, from a builders merchant.

Depends how soft they are. Here in SE London the reds are usually easy to clean with just a 4" scraper. A wire brush would ruin the surface. They're also very absorbent, and acid soaking into them wouldn't be a good idea. Then again, some of the other colours are like granite.

Hi. I've recently bought a new house with red brick exterior. However there is a lot of cement stuck to parts of the brickwork due to an untidy bricklayer. Is there any way I can clean the cement off the red brickwork using some sort of cleaner solution / wire brush etc?

Thanks

Craig

See replies to your 12.00 post

Those are common bricks. Finishing bricks should be harder and less permeable. Having said that I think a lot of cheap houses were built using common bricks where there should have been facing bricks.

Brick cleaning acid is available from most builders merchants. Use as direction. Apply with a soft sweeping brush head, no pole. protection use like rubber gloves and eye protectors

Hi

I was told not to use brick acid as it can damage/weaken the mortar holding the wall together...

I'd probably ignore that advice if the wall was really messy though but make sure you clean off very thoroughly.

Cheers

Nicholas

Its used through out the building trade, Read the instructions on the container before you buy, then make your own mind up.

Well so it does. But not enough to be an issue, because you pull the big lumps off first with a chisel or wire brush and use the acid to freshen up the surface only.

The mortar joints will fizz, but we are talking the merest mm or so degradation.

Hose the wall afterwards tho.