There are three effective types of cleaning solvents for brick, including soapy water (for general brick cleaning), a bleach formula (for mold and mildew), or muriatic acid (for the toughest-to-remove stains).
Clean your bricks with a cleaning solution, or by using undiluted white vinegar. Once you've prepared the surface of the bricks, you can apply a coat of concrete stain. You can adjust it according to the original color of your bricks. You can choose from a wide variety of water-based stains and acid-based ones.
The best cleaning method is using a mixture of equal parts dishwashing detergent and table salt. Stir the ingredients together to form a paste-like consistency. Prior to rubbing the paste on the brick surface, dust the wall using a feather duster or vacuum to remove visible dust and cobwebs.
The first and most popular option for covering a brick wall is vinyl siding. This type of material comes in a wide variety of colors, so it's easy to find something that will match your home perfectly. Vinyl doesn't have the best insulation value, but it does have a lot of other benefits.
High Gloss Sealant
This type of finish darkens faded pavers, making them appear wet while adding a brilliant sheen. A gleaming sealer can enhance the natural reds and brown hues of standard brick. Depending on the number of solids, these sealers will produce a high-gloss shine.
Warm water and a masonry sponge can remove a lot of grime. Adding dish soap or vinegar also work well. Less is more when cleaning brick.
Most Exterior Bricks Do Not Need to Be Sealed
In fact, bricks today are even better made than they were a century ago. Most do not need the added layer of protection. Mortar has also gotten stronger over time. The mortar of today creates a better seal around the brick joints than the mortar made decades ago.
Dark bricks or stone: 1 part acid to 10 parts water. Light: 1 part acid to 15 parts water. Caution: Pour acid slowly into water; never pour water into acid. Apply as directed, allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
Make a thin paste by mixing 3 tablespoons of dish soap to 1/2 cup baking soda. Spread it on brick, let sit for 10 minutes and then scrub off with a brush. Rinse with warm water.
Paint the Brick
Painting the brick is the most extreme solution for a dark brick exterior, but it brightens the look. It's a good option when you don't like the brick color at all. Neutral paint colors ranging from white to taupe tend to look best.
In general, yes. Pressure washing brick is an effective and efficient method of cleaning. However, it is not immune to high-pressure levels. While durable like concrete, brick is unable to withstand constant high pressure.
Luckily, you can restore most brick damage using everyday tools. For dirty and stained bricks, surface cleaning and applying a sealant may be enough. If your brick is cracked or loose, however, you may need to repair the damage with mortar. With time and a little elbow grease, your brick will look as good as new!
Sealing pavers enhances the bricks' color
Some call it the wet look. Some call it the enhanced look. But either way, what it does is it darkens and enriches the colors of the brick. It does not change the color, however.
Although the main purpose of sealers is to beautify and protect, some sealers can also be used for darkening concrete. Water-based sealers do not change the color of the decorative concrete, but solvent-based sealers darken the color by several shades. This darkening effect is called color saturation.
Thompson's® WaterSeal® Clear Masonry Protector Waterproofer provides proven waterproofing protection for pavers, brick, concrete, stone, stucco, clay & quarry tile and exterior masonry surfaces.
Mix Dawn and baking soda into a paste to clean detailed brickwork. For old brick, always try the least abrasive method and work your way up. Use a sturdy bristle brush when it comes to fireplace brick cleaning.
WD-40 may remove paint stuck to brick if applied directly and in large quantities, allowing it to sit on the surface for a few hours.
Yes, you can add white vinegar and water to a spray bottle and use it to apply the solution to a wall for cleaning purposes. This is a standard method for applying vinegar to brick or other surfaces that need cleaning.