Old timer at the jobsite changed how I see brick cleaning

I was on a row home renovation in Philly last March and this mason with 40 years in the trade watched me scrubbing new brick with muriatic acid. He pulled me aside and said 'you're gonna ruin that brick in 5 years, use a mild soap and a soft brush instead.' I laughed it off at first but he showed me a wall he did in 1992 that still looked fresh. Now I'm starting to think the aggressive chemical approach is a shortcut that costs clients down the road. Any of you guys had luck with gentler cleaning methods on older brick?

2 comments

2 Comments

lindaw123d ago

That old brick trick is just like switching to white vinegar for cleaning windows.

spencer4073d ago

Hang on though @lindaw12, is switching the vinegar really the same idea? I mean with the brick trick you're adding grit to scrape off stuff, but vinegar is just acid breaking down grime chemically. They solve different problems, you know? One is physical scrubbing and the other is a chemical reaction. So calling them the same might be missing the point of what the brick trick actually does. Not trying to argue, just feels like two totally separate approaches to me.