How to Remove Water Stains From Brick Floors

Water stains on brick floors tend to appear somewhat mysteriously. You may not even be able to tell where they are coming from because they tend to a be a result of hard water or deposits in the brick that cause a white substance called "efflorescence" to build up in damp areas and cause stains. If you catch these stains early on, they can usually be removed via pressure washing and scrubbing. However, if they have been in place for more than a few days, you will need a tougher, more acidic solution to dissolve the stains.

Things You'll Need

• Broom
• Vinegar
• 5 gallon bucket
• Baking soda
• Scrub brush
• Push broom
• Garden hose

Instructions

1. Sweep the entire bricked area; otherwise, you may just create a muddy mess when you start cleaning.

2. Mix 1 gallon of vinegar and 1 gallon of water. Keep some additional vinegar that is uncut nearby.

3. Use the push broom to apply the vinegar solution and scrub the stains. You should start to see the buildup loosening and dissolving. Keep scrubbing until it is all gone. Rinse periodically with the garden hose so that you can see what you are doing.

4. Tackle tough stains with pure vinegar. Wet a hand brush and scrub any stubborn spots. If necessary, let the vinegar sit on the stains for about 10 minutes, then apply more and scrub. Rinse periodically so you can monitor your progress.

5. Rinse off the entire area with the garden hose. Use the highest pressure possible.

6. Sprinkle the bricked area with baking soda. This will neutralize the vinegar. Let it sit on the wet brick for about 15 minutes.

7. Rinse off the brick area again. Make sure that you get all of the baking soda off the bricks.

Tips & Warnings

• Work on a sunny, dry day or the moisture in the bricks will just add to the stains even as you are scrubbing.

• Seal your bricks to prevent recurring stains.

• Rinse any surrounding foliage thoroughly to prevent the vinegar from harming the plants.

References

• Sakcrete
• ConcreteConstruction.net