7 Tricks For Cleaning A Brick Exterior in Del Mar, CA

When you’re looking to paint a home with a brick exterior, it’s not quite as simple as when you’re trying to prepare a home with a wood or even a vinyl exterior in terms of cleaning.

Indeed, the cleaning of the brick exterior is different from cleaning other exteriors as the material can be quite absorbent of liquids, which changes the cleaning process’s dynamic.

With that being the case, here are seven tricks for cleaning a brick exterior in Del Mar, CA.

1. Bleach For Mold

Mold can be one of the worst things that you’re going to be able to find on the exterior of your home — as it not only makes for an uglier home exterior, it can be quite unhealthy.

The issue is that if you’re not thorough in your cleaning of mold and the like, you can see it make a comeback fairly quickly — so it needs to be decimated entirely.

Use a mix of water and bleach to get rid of the mold once and for all.

2. Avoid Wire Brushes

Wire brushes are good for many things but cleaning your brick exterior is not one of them.

As strong as it is, the issue with a wire brush is that you’ll be leaving behind some of that wire as you are cleaning the brick.

These metal bits will ultimately rust and make your brick exterior that much worse.

3. Aim For Cloudy Weather

You’re going to want to have cloudy weather when you’re cleaning your brick exterior.

This is the case because you will often find that if the weather is a little too sunny, the cleaners you use may evaporate before they get a chance to take effect and then end up staining the very thing you’re trying to clean.

4. Tarp To Protect

The same chemicals you use to clean your brick may damage other elements of your home exterior that are not made of brick.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to tape some tarp to cover those elements and thus not allow the chemicals to reach or touch those elements.

You can also use a tarp to cover nearby plants that may get affected by runoff, or maybe a lighter plastic if you are concerned about the tarp’s weight.

5. Wash With The Hose

One of the first things you will do when you are cleaning your brick exterior is to give them a good rinse with the garden hose — this will get the bricks wet.

This is important as you don’t want to try cleaning absolutely dry bricks — it will not be impossible to do so, but it will complicate the cleaning process.

6. Add Muriatic Acid To Water

If you use muriatic acid for cleaning, the best thing to do to prepare the cleaning solution is to add the acid to the water.

It’s always easier to add a little acid to the cleaning solution to make it stronger than add water to dilute it.

7. Don’t Stand Too Close With A Pressure Washer

Of course, you’re likely familiar with how pressure washers work, seeing them on videos online and the like.

You have to realize about pressure washers that they can also do a lot of damage, even to a brick exterior, if you have the setting on too high or if you are too close to the exterior.

The best thing you can do is start with a lower setting, stand further back, and work your way up.

We use only high-quality painting products from reputable manufacturers for guaranteed durability and quality of the final paint job.
Book a FREE estimate below or call us at (858)505-1361 if you have any questions.

Related: 7 More Ways To Improve Your Curb Appeal in Scripps Ranch, CA
How To Best Paint A Metal Fence in Del Mar, CA
How To Properly Paint Your Wooden Fence in La Jolla, CA