Cleaning up bricks

Imelda

Hi all, (another question, sorry)

We have ripped out some wood cladding from one of our bedrooms to see if there is a fireplace behind it. Fortunately, there is and some lovely brickwork which we would like to expose (original idea was to plaster it and leave a "hole" where the hearth was).

The brickwork needs a good clean but I have no idea how to go about this, has anyone done this before and can offer us advice?

amcluesent

Sand plasting

macman

Brick cleaner. Take care, as it's acidic.

MX5huggy

amcluesent wrote: »

Sand plasting

I guess that was supposed to be Sand Blasting.

It depends on what has made then dirty? Sand Blasting would remove most things. Maybe a scrub with some washing up liquid would do.

ormus

try a wire brush attachment on an electric drill.
cheap and simple. a bit messy but less messy than other ideas.

Imelda

thanks all, we're going to give it a go at the weekend, if not I guess we've not lost much as it would have been plastered over anyway.

wallbash

try a wire brush attachment on an electric drill.
cheap and simple. a bit messy but less messy than other ideas.

Messy , I agree , but also think its going to very hard work . If the wire brush is applied to hard , damage to the bricks?

27col

I think that brick cleaner is meant for removing mortar splashes from the bricks after laying, not for actually cleaning discoloured bricks. In any event, it is hydrochloric acid, so great care needed in its application.

optimus_primera

Muriatic acid is used to clean Red brick.

I use neat brick acid to clean out cement mixers at work.

muckybutt

As Ormus says

Suzy_M

I've used poly abrasive discs and drums to clean reclaimed bricks etc. Shifts all the non-brick residues without eating in to the surface.