If you try cleaning off the mortar while it is still wet, it just smears on the stones. An easy solution is to let the mortar dry and, at the end of the project, clean the mortar off the wall with muriatic acid. You can apply these same techniques to most masonry projects involving cement products.
Mix up a warm water and dish detergent solution. The only trick to this step is that you cannot have bubbles in the mixture so keep mixing until all the bubbles disappear. Set it aside for now. Using one of your stiff brushes, start wiping it across the mortar that you need to remove from your manufactured stone.
Muriatic acid is another name for hydrochloric acid. You can also find other brand names like Acidum Salis. In most cases, this acid removes mortar residues.
You can use hydrochloric acid – or indeed any of a number of easily available proprietary cleaners – to remove salt deposits, mortar stains and lime blooms. To get the right mix, simply dilute the hydrochloric acid in water to no more than 10% of the volume.
But don't panic: You may have no difficulty using an aggressive acid treatment if you take care to control the amount of liquid you use as you work. Bricklayers typically use muriatic acid to dissolve mortar from most brick.
Which is the best mortar removal tool? Assuming you are not doing the work by hand, the two most popular methods are a diamond raking blade or a tungsten mortar rake, fitted to an angle grinder with a dust and depth control facility.
KLEEN KRETE is a biodegradable mortar, stucco, grout, and concrete and cement dissolver which can be used on nearly any surface without causing damage. KLEEN KRETE dissolves, releases, and removes hardened concrete and cement from form work, machinery, and other tools.
Chemical Strippers
Muriatic acid is one of the most popular chemicals used for thinset removal, but it's also one of the most dangerous.
Scrape away any dried thinset by using a chisel, chipping each mark from the tile without scratching the tile itself. Use a grout scraper to remove any remaining thinset from the grout lines. Get a 50-grit sanding disc and place it on a rotary sander at its lowest setting.
How to Remove Dried Concrete. Applying a concrete dissolver is one tactic used to soften old mortar on masonry tools, equipment, and vehicles.
Dilute one part muriatic acid with four parts water and test the stone again. If the less diluted acid still does not fizz when in contact with the stone, things are looking good. You will still want to be vigilant as you clean. Be sure to clean the stone using a pH neutral cleaner once the cement is removed.
KLEEN KRETE is a biodegradable mortar, stucco, grout, and concrete and cement dissolver which can be used on nearly any surface without causing damage. KLEEN KRETE dissolves, releases, and removes hardened concrete and cement from form work, machinery, and other tools.
Vinegar does not dissolve concrete itself but can degrade the cement that binds concrete together. As a weak, dilute acid, vinegar will cause only minor damage to concrete but can take the shine off polished surfaces. It can, however, be used to remove small amounts of cement from tools.
Your first step should be to soak the bricks in a solution of muriatic acid and water. This will soften the cured mortar enough to allow removal via the tried-and-true method of hammer and cold chisel.
We never recommend washing lime mortar joints with any type of acidic product. If you need to remove mortar smears from masonry simply use a green scouring sponge and water. Most smears are easily removed with the method within 24-48 hours after pointing.
An angle grinder is one of the best thinset and tile removal tools around.
A Hammer and Plugging Chisel
Sometimes a plugging tool is also called a joint chisel. The pointed chisel is made in a way that it can reach deep into the mortar without damaging the wall veneer. Most are made with a 45-degree angle to facilitate moving around brick corners.
Mortar rakes are gritted bits or blades designed to remove mortar from in between bricks or masonry. They use different types of grit to grind away at the material, and the non-bladed type are ideal for precise mortar removal. Various sizes, grit materials and brands are available in the range.
There are other acids that will react and dissolve the alkaline chemicals in the mortar. Even the white vinegar found in your kitchen will work to some degree. The challenge for you is to find an acid somewhere between vinegar and hydrochloric acid that will efficiently remove the mortar buildup.