How do you clean bricks on a house

Introduction

Keeping the bricks on the outside of your home clean is a crucial part of regular home care. As time goes on, things like dirt, grime, mold, and mildew can stick to the bricks. This makes your home look not as nice and could even cause damage. If you clean your brick walls often and use the right ways to clean them, you can make sure your home stays looking great. This guide will share simple tips and methods for cleaning the bricks on the outside of your house. This article will investigate tips and strategies for actually cleaning blocks on your home’s outside.

How Do You Clean Bricks on a House?

Start by Assessing the Bricks

Before deciding the most effective way to clean your home’s blocks, begin by intently inspecting them to recognize the kind of block and the idea of the development requiring evacuation. This will assist with directing which cleaning technique will be best. Consider the following:

What Type of Bricks Do You Have?

The composition of your bricks will impact the cleaning methods that can be safely used. Common residential brick types include clay, concrete, and natural stone. More delicate bricks like limestone require gentler cleaning approaches. Knowing your brick type will prevent damage.

How Dirty Are the Bricks?

Also, note the severity and type of residue buildup on your exterior bricks. Factors like the home’s location, weather, airflow, and more can influence soil accumulation. Identify surfaces with light dirt versus tougher stains from mold, mildew, and other grime to target cleaning correctly.

How Will You Access the Bricks?

Importantly, evaluate safe accessibility to the brick areas needing cleaning. For single-story homes or first-floor exterior walls, bricks can be reached with a ladder or handheld brush. Multi-story homes will require proper scaffolding or similar equipment.

Choosing Your Brick Cleaning Method 

Once you have assessed the state and nature of your home’s exterior bricks, you can determine the most suitable cleaning method. Key factors that influence approach selection include brick material, buildup degree, access height, environmental impact, budget, and more. Common brick cleaning techniques include:

1. Pressure Washing

Power washing uses an industrial-strength stream of hot or cold water to blast away dirt, stains, paint, and debris from brickwork. It offers deep cleaning for severely soiled bricks. However, it requires caution on delicate bricks to avoid erosion or water infiltration. Proper pressure levels and nozzle angles are critical.

2. Chemical Brick Cleaning Products

Chemical cleaning products designed for masonry are very effective at stripping off layered grime from bricks. Options like acidic washes help dissolve mortar smears, stains, and cement spills from brickwork. Use proper safety gear when working with caustic chemical cleaners and thoroughly rinse bricks after application. Also,, confirm a cleaner will not adversely react with your brick type.

3. Natural Cleaning Solutions 

For homeowners wanting a non-toxic and environmentally-friendly cleaning approach, natural options like baking soda, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide offer an affordable alternative. Table salt mixed with lemon juice and water also works well. While natural solutions require more scrubbing, they will gradually lift dirt without damaging bricks or mortar. Rinsing thoroughly is key for residue removal.

4. Manual Cleaning with Brush/Scraper

Don’t underestimate some old-fashioned manual scrubbing when cleaning exterior home bricks! Simple tools like a wire or stiff-bristled scrub brush, sponge or putty knife scraper efficiently remove surface dirt on bricks when used with an appropriate cleaning solution. This affordable cleaning method allows focusing on specific stained or mildewed areas. Apply elbow grease for the best outcome.

Cleaning Brick Home Foundations

Special attention should be given when cleaning the brick foundation walls of your home. Since foundations bear the structural weight of an entire house cleaning incorrectly or allowing water infiltration can undermine integrity or create cracks. Consider hiring professionals for foundations. If DIY cleaning, be extremely cautious using chemical cleaners or pressure washers on foundations. Test first and avoid any damage. Focus efforts only where visibly necessary and allow adequate drying time.

Maintenance Tips for Clean Brickwork 

Regularly and properly cleaning the bricks on your home will help maintain curb appeal while adding weather and stain resistance. Here are additional suggestions for keeping exterior brickwork looking its best after deep cleaning:

• Annual light power-washing
• Re-apply protective sealer every 3-5 years  
• Keep nearby plants and soil back from the brick perimeter
• Allow proper drainage and airflow circulation around bricks

Conclusion

Cleaning the exterior bricks on your home service provides visual and structural benefits when done properly and regularly.  Always consider brick material composition and degree of soiling before attempting do-it-yourself cleaning. Harsher methods like pressure-washing or acidic chemical use require caution to avoid permanent brick or mortar damage when inexperienced. For extensive mold and mildew growth, foundation cleaning, or multi-story homes, consulting with a professional brick cleaning service could save time, provide proper results, and prevent safety hazards. With the right approach and some periodic elbow grease, your home’s brickwork will maintain its aesthetic appeal and full weather resistance for years before needing to be cleaned again.