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Tips for cleaning old red brickwork?

  • 22-03-2011 6:20pm
    #1
    Seamonster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭


    Hi All,

    Many years ago I built some brick walls from salvaged red Victorian bricks, over the past few years they have gone green, brown and black and I would love to gove them a clean without brushing them or ruining them. I think it's mostly green mould and fungus. Is there any chemicals I could use, maybe even some that won't kill plans or be too toxic? Would a decking brush be a good start with some brick cleaner?

    Any tips would be great, thanks a lot folks!!!


Comments

  • #2
    Sonnenblumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭Sonnenblumen


    Seamonster wrote: »
    Hi All,

    Many years ago I built some brick walls from salvaged red Victorian bricks, over the past few years they have gone green, brown and black and I would love to gove them a clean without brushing them or ruining them. I think it's mostly green mould and fungus. Is there any chemicals I could use, maybe even some that won't kill plans or be too toxic? Would a decking brush be a good start with some brick cleaner?

    Any tips would be great, thanks a lot folks!!!

    Power (150psi) wash.


  • #3
    soundsham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,848 ✭✭✭soundsham


    soda blasting


  • #4
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 50,890 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    what do you mean by 'ruining them'? you don't want them to look new and pristine?


  • #5
    Antiquo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 290 ✭✭Antiquo


    OP a dilute solution of bleach in a bucket and as you mentioned a deck brush or stiff yard brush. You could also add some Iron Sulphate (used to kill lawn moss) but usually the dilute bleach is more than sufficient.

    Any plants that you want to protect under the wall while doing this cover with plastic sheet and rinse thoroughly with a hose.

    Get it well into the moss and leave it for a few days/week it will start to die off and will come off fairly easily with a hose and a bit more brushing.

    Using a power hose on old victorian bricks can blow scales off them and expose the brick inner or damage the mortar which is then susceptible to water seepage and frost damage. Modern bricks in the most part will not suffer in this way but the mortar might.

    Power hosing also blows moss all over the place to grow elsewhere and usually leaves some areas cleaner than others, stripes, etc. Wheras the dilute bleach will leave a uniform patina of age while removing the bulk of the moss.


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