How to Clean Brick Stains

Most brick stains can be cleaned with a scrub brush, water, or cleaning solvents. When you clean brick stains in or around your home, you will improve the appearance and add value to your property. We will run through the different types of stains and provide solutions to clean your bricks.

Things You'll Need

• Stiff Bristled brush
• Household Cleaner
• Bar Keeper's Friend
• Zud Cleaner
• Plastic scraper
• Rubber Gloves

Instructions

1. 

   Efflorescence is a white powdery substance that can often stain brick. These efflorescence brick stains are caused by deposit of salts. The mortar used to construct your brick wall has a fairly high amount of salt.

   To clean efflorescence brick stains, use a stiff bristled brush and water. Scrub the area and the stain should clean off the brick. If the stains are heavy, you can use a general household cleaning solution.

   If these efflorescence brick stains continue to return, this may be a sign that water is entering the wall due to a defect, water line leakage, or poorly installed flashing. Take action to prevent potential damage to your masonry.

2. 

   To clean brick stains resulting from iron or rust deposits, you will want to apply oxalic acid. This sounds like something you would find in the closet of a mad scientist, but fear not. Oxalic acid is found in two household cleaning solutions: Bar Keeper's Friend and Zud Abrasive Cleaner. One word of caution, do NOT combine the cleaning acid and water in a metal container.

   Before applying the cleaning solution to the brick stain, apply water to the brick surface. This will prevent the cleaning solution from soaking into the brick too quickly.

   You can first try to scrub the stained area with the cleaning solution. If that does not completely remove the brick stain, try making a paste from Zud and water. Apply the paste to the stain and allow it to sit for a few hours. You can mist the paste with water if it dries too quickly. Finally scrape the cleaning paste off the brick with a plastic scraper.

3. 

   Removing paint stains from brick can be difficult as the brick is very porous. However, you should attempt to clean the brick yourself prior to calling a professional. Your efforts to clean the brick paint stain may pay off and save you money.

   For newer paint stains on brick, use a solution of trisodium phosphate (TSP). Mix one fourth cup of TSP with a gallon of hot water. Apply the solution to the brick stain using a heavy duty scrub pad or brush. Allow the solution to soak on the brick stain for a couple minutes. Then rinse with warm water.

   To clean an older paint stain on your brick, you will have to employ heavy scrubbing or sandblasting.

4. 

   Smoke stains on brick are a common problem. Especially around a fireplace. To clean brick stained by smoke, you are going to have to put in some labor and time. Clean the brick stain using a scouring type cleaning powder that contains bleach. Scrub the stain with a stiff bristled brush. Rinse and repeat until the brick stain is removed.

   We have also encountered success using a mixture of ammonia and water to clean brick stains. Many do it yourself experts also recommend trying a water and vinegar solution.

   IMPORTANT: Chose one or the other methods. NEVER mix bleach with ammonia.

5. 

   Having your house egged by some vandal is bad enough, dealing with the clean up makes it worse. To clean brick stains caused by eggs, you should again turn to Oxalic acid - Bar Keeper's Friend or Zud. Use the same methods outlined in Step 2 above to clean brick stains from eggs.

Tips & Warnings

• NEVER mix bleach with ammonia.

• Do NOT combine cleaning acid and water in a metal container.

Resources

• Bar Keeper's Friend
• TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE CLEANER