Posts Tagged ‘ brick cleaning ’

How to Clean Exterior Brickwork

Sunday, November 22nd, 2015

If your brickwork looks like it needs a good cleaning, make sure that you’re using the safest and most effective cleaning methods!

Bricks can be either sealed or unsealed; of course, unsealed bricks require more maintenance to keep up their appearance. Exterior bricks especially should be cleaned regularly. With winter approaching, exterior bricks easily build up salt, dirt, and grime. Make sure that your brickwork is looking its best with our cleaning tips.

Bucket and Brush Method

The bucket and brush method of cleaning is the most widely used and efficient means of cleaning brickwork. It does not require advanced equipment or skill, and it is easy and quick. Here are the steps required to clean your brickwork with this method:

If your masonry is brand new, wait at least a week to give it its first cleaning. Use a scraping tool to rough away any hardened particles of mortar.
Use a generous amount of water to saturate the brick wall. This will ensure that the wall does not develop any stains from cleaning, as dry bricks absorb dirt into their brick pores. Using a regular hose, and make sure all the bricks as well as the base of the masonry is drenched.
Starting from the top, use a long-handled fiber brush to scrub cleaning solution onto the bricks. Sure Clean, Goldblatt Brick Bath, and Superior 800 series are all good choices for cleaning solutions. Be sure to ask your professional mason for their recommended ratios of solution to water.
After scrubbing, allow the solution to sit and soak for three to six minutes. After soaking, wash off with the hose. Make sure that you’re washing only small parts of the brickwork at a time, rather than the entire wall or walkway. This will ensure that the bricks don’t dry and absorb stains that are impossible to remove.
Tip: if your bricks are old and weathered, a better way to clean them is to simply use a duster or broom to sweep off dirt and grime. If you think your old bricks can withstand a tougher cleaning, start by testing a small corner first.

Keep Your Masonry Looking Good with Del Prete Masonry!

While there are many other materials that we use at Del Prete Masonry, we’re not about to abandon concrete anytime soon. It has proven its worth many times over and we know that we can bring you a solid masonry structure with it. To find out more about your masonry options including concrete masonry, please contact our office today at 410-683-0650 or email us at mike@delpretemasonry.com. We serve Baltimore City, County, Harford County, Carroll County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County. Keep up with our blog for masonry related information, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Posted in Blog, Brick, Brick

Brick Cleaning Do’s and Don’ts

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

Even with brick’s tough reputation, it still needs a good cleaning every once in a while. In the same light, if you clean your brick without knowing the proper way, there’s a good chance you can damage it as well. And what’s worse, brick cleaning can be a challenge in itself – whether inside or outside, brick is susceptible to dirt, soot, and even mold. But don’t worry! Armed with a little elbow grease and the right materials, brick cleaning can be a success. If you follow these tips, you’re sure to have your bricks looking good as new in no time.

Armed with a little elbow grease and the right materials, brick cleaning can be a success. If you follow these tips, you’re sure to have your bricks looking good as new in no time.

Brick Cleaning How-To

When brick cleaning, it’s best to start off with the mildest method and eventually work up to the harshest. You should always start by brushing off the excess debris and dirt on top first, and remember that wet brick hides stains, so repeating steps may be necessary in the future. These brick cleaning methods are listed from mildest to harshest and should be tried in the order they appear. (more…)

Posted in Blog, Brick