Content

• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

Scrub before the tile dries.

Wash again. Now the bricks are clean. advertisement

Method 2 of 2: Use your hands and a spray

1. 

   
   
   Determine the type of stain or dirty soil to treat. Stains caused by mold or algae require treatment with methods and chemicals other than rust or cement stains and mortar on tiles.

2. 

   Wash the tiles with bleach if the stain is caused by mold.
   • Mix equal amounts of bleach and water into a large bucket.
   • Pour the solution into the garden watering pump and pump.
   • Partially wet the wall (or yard if you wash the yard tiles) with a spray hose.
   • Spray the bleach solution on the surface to be cleaned from top to wet.
   • Wait for the bleach solution to react with the stains for a few minutes, but don't wait too long as the tile surface begins to dry.
   • Wash a small part of the wall to see if the solution is working as expected.
   • For stubborn stains, use pure bleach to scrub, use a brush with a long handle for acids.
   • Rinse the wall with water. Be careful not to let the bleach solution dry on the wall before rinsing it again.

3. 

   
   
   Use acidic solution to clean stains caused by mortar, rust in well water or sandy soil that cannot be cleaned by bleach solution.
   • Buy hydrochloric or acid-based masonry cleaners, available from home repair shops or home appliance stores. (Read the warning carefully before buying or using any acidic solution.)
   • Fill 2/3 of the plastic bucket with clean water. Pour the acid into a bucket of water at a rate of 1 part acid and 3 parts water. Do not overfill the bucket to prevent liquid spatter.
   • Wet the walls or surfaces to be treated with a garden hose.
   • Clean the wall with dilute acid solution, using a acid brush.
   • Wait about 10-15 minutes for the acid to take effect after brushing the wall, be careful not to let the wall dry.
   • Wash plenty of water after waiting enough time for the solution to take effect.

4. 

   
   
   Wash all surfaces exposed to detergent solution, dilute the solution with plenty of water to prevent damage to surfaces or plants.

5. 

   Consider sealing the tiles to prevent dirt or stains. Use siloxane or silicone sealant according to the manufacturer's instructions. advertisement

Advice

• Wear old clothes, rubber gloves and goggles when using the cleaning solutions mentioned above.
• Work in calm weather to avoid spraying in unwanted places.
• Work in shady areas, or on shady surfaces when possible.

Warning

• Avoid chemical contact with skin when using bleach or acid solutions, even if diluted.
• Avoid inhalation of vapors from cleaning solutions.
• Never mix acids and bleach when cleaning.
• Wear goggles.
• The Brick Industry Association strongly recommends against using hydrochloric acid without buffering solution to wash bricks due to the risk of damage to plaster joints. This approach is also very difficult to completely clean the masonry and can cause harm for many years. Adding water to hydrochloric acid also does not solve the problem. However, cleaning agents specifically used for masonry, even when using buffering acid, are "safer, easier to use and more environmentally friendly".

What you need

• Specialized brush for cleaning acid with long handle
• Rubber gloves
• Hydrochloric acid (HCl)
• Chlorine bleach
• Garden hose
• Goggles
• Optional: pressure washer