Cleaning brickwork

[Cheese]

I agree with Tyler...TSP works extremely well and leaves no residue when wiped with a clean, damp cloth. It's surprising what it removes considering it's pretty benign. A few years back I'd recommend muriatic acid as that was the go-to cleanser for brick. But the times they are-a-changing...

 

[Corwin]

The best was to clean brick inside a home is tsp water mixture and a brush.  Adding steam to a finished home is crazy.  That much humidity is not good to introduce inside a house.  I have cleaned brick inside a clients home with the tsp mix and it works great!!!  Put some plastic down on the ground.  Mix tsp and water together reading the directions on the side of the box.  Use a tire brush or soft plastic bristle brush and scrub away.  It's cheap, easy, and works.

I don't disagree with your cleaning method. But, I am at odds with your statement about the amount of steam in a finished home, as you say. I may have agreed with you earlier, but after using a small home unit in my home, I find your concern unwarranted -- well, at least for the type machine that I now have. I cannot say how well the steam will clean soiled brickwork, but it looks like others have had some success. If I had this job to do, and as I now have access to this [relatively inexpensive] equipment, I certainly would give it a try. Use a towel as needed, don't overstay you welcome at any one spot (don't overheat,) and you will not have problems with materials that can handle the temperature, like, well, the brick that surrounds a fireplace.  [smile]

Some of the videos you may see that illustrate the use of these home steam cleaners do give me pause, though. For instance, I see where some people are cleaning their kitchen appliances in place.  [eek] [scared] [unsure] So, I'm not oblivious to your point either.  [wink]  That may be the only 'good thing' about my getting new kitchen appliances earlier this year; they won't need this type cleaning, ever... For they won't last long enough to get that dirty -- what lousy appliances we have on the market today.  [mad] [sad]

 

[Tinker]

That was way back in the'40's, way before i turned 39.  I'm surprised i did not think of steam for cleaning the bricks.
Tinker

[member=550]Tinker[/member]
That's because if you properly put things into historical perspective, steam was not yet discovered when you turned 39, and neither was the discovery of oxygen. You were just darn lucky that oxygen wasn't a staple in your life, otherwise you'd have never been able to live to the ripe old age of 39.

[thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up]

 

[Tinker]

I agree with Tyler...TSP works extremely well and leaves no residue when wiped with a clean, damp cloth. It's surprising what it removes considering it's pretty benign. A few years back I'd recommend muriatic acid as that was the go-to cleanser for brick. But the times they are-a-changing...

@ Cheese
Hey, you must not be much younger than I  i have been out of the mason biz for nearly 100 years now  : and there were much better >>> and far safer

 

[Cheese]

@ Cheese
Hey, you must not be much younger than I  i have been out of the mason biz for nearly 100 years now  : and there were much better >>> and far safer

 

[Tinker]

@ Cheese
Hey, you must not be much younger than I  i have been out of the mason biz for nearly 100 years now  : and there were much better >>> and far safer

 

[mike_aa]

....
I did have experiences with spattering minute amounts on my clothing with rather disastrous results.  Not life threatening, but more on the embarrassing side.  eventually, they came out with much safer organic cleaners.  One could get into trouble with them as well, but not so life threatening or possible disfigurement of body or loss of clothing.
.....
Tinker

[member=550]Tinker[/member]
I remember you reminiscing about a time when you lost you pants.  Could this be the "more on the embarrassing side" experience you had?  [eek]

Mike A.

 

[Tinker]

THAT WAS THE ONE
now I know somebody read that story  :
Tinker

 

[Corwin]

My dad was a mason contractor too. And we used muriatic acid on brickwork regularly. Never liked working with it, as I didn't like the smell, and you did have to wear protection and clothing that you would later discard... Yes, it can be dangerous in the wrong hands. But we did this for a living, and somehow back then we just didn't give it the same concern that I read here. Not a safe product to use if you don't take the proper precautions. I'm sure glad they use better, and safer chemicals today.

 

[Cheese]

THAT WAS THE ONE
now I know somebody read that story  :
Tinker

Tinker...we all read your stories...for only being 39 years old you surprisingly add a lot of depth to this forum...considering your age...

 

[Tinker]

My dad was a mason contractor too. And we used muriatic acid on brickwork regularly. Never liked working with it, as I didn't like the smell, and you did have to wear protection and clothing that you would later discard... Yes, it can be dangerous in the wrong hands. But we did this for a living, and somehow back then we just didn't give it the same concern that I read here. Not a safe product to use if you don't take the proper precautions. I'm sure glad they use better, and safer chemicals today.

@ Corwin
The dangerous in the wrong hands is very definitely the point i am trying to put across.  So many times the use of muriatic acid is mentioned so very casually as a good, and some even call it a "great" cleaner for masonry. You know of the danger.  you were brought up by a very careful man who taught you the dangers and how to work safely with acid.  As far as your experience, the acid was never in the wrong hands.  there have been others, i am sure, who have just dived in, and were very fortunate that they were not permanently injured by their foolhardy methodology with acid.  On that point, i am very fortunate that The Guy Upstairs happened to have been very interested in my welfare. No permanent scars or internal damage. 

Another use of acid (I think that was Sulphuric acid) that could have spelled disaster if used improperly was in milk testing for butterfat content.  I learned about that in college (majored in Dairy production and Animal husbandry) Just mentioned that off topic use as a point of interest.  No particular point other than you should not pour water or other liquid into or onto acid enclosed in any container.  In that case, we added acid to the milk sample before spinning in a the centrifuge.
Tinker