How to Clean Mildew on Brick

Bricks are an excellent outdoor building material, perfect for decks, walkways, planters and decorative walls, among other features. They're attractive, and durable enough to last for years. But bricks that are in shady or damp areas can be prone to growths of mildew that makes them unattractive. A regular cleaning of the bricks to remove mildew is an excellent strategy for proper maintenance.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bleach
• Water
• Plastic bucket
• Home and garden sprayer
• Garden hose and spray nozzle
• Stiff-bristled brush

1. Mix a solution of equal parts household bleach and water in a plastic bucket. Pour the solution into a household pump sprayer.

2. Rinse an area of bricks with regular water to remove loose surface dirt. A garden hose with a spray nozzle works well for this.

3. Spray the area you've just rinsed with the solution in your sprayer. Then scrub the area you've just rinsed with a stiff-bristled brush. A hand-held brush works well, but if you're doing a large area, a brush attached to a broom stick is a helpful tool.

4. After you've scrubbed the area with your brush and the bleach/water mix, rinse with clear water. If you have areas of mildew that are resistant to the treatment, repeat the process. You also can use a straight bleach solution on stubborn stains.

5. Repeat Steps 2 to 4 until you've cleaned the entire area. To prevent future mildew growth, keep your bricks clean and dry as possible. Dirt and leaves' buildup will allow moisture to linger and promote mildew growth.

Tips & Warnings

• Bleach solutions can damage clothes--wear old clothing when working with bleach. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection to prevent skin irritation of your hands and bleach splashing into your eyes

References

• Cleaning Plain & Simple: A Ready Reference guide with hundreds of sparkling solutions to your everyday cleaning challenges; Donna Smallin; 2005