Best way to clean coal from walls?

A_Clock

I just moved into a house where there is an old coal shed inside, whats the best way to clean all the old coal off the walls so i can paint them?

misgrace

Invest in a tub of sugar soap which you can buy from any DIY store.

Wash down the walls, when dry, I would apply a thinnish oilbase undercoat (white), this will stop, if any of the coal marks/grime bleeding thu.
Wait a day or so, then paint with your colour.

A_Clock

misgrace wrote: »

Invest in a tub of sugar soap which you can buy from any DIY store.

Wash down the walls, when dry, I would apply a thinnish oilbase undercoat (white), this will stop, if any of the coal marks/grime bleeding thu.
Wait a day or so, then paint with your colour.

Thanks will pop up B&Q and have a look tomorrow! :beer:

Errata

Coal contains all kinds of chemicals/minerals/acids and such stuff which leach into brick very easily and I think you'll need to clean the bricks with a pressure washer and then properly seal them to prevent the leachate coming through. I doubt if sugar soap will do much to clean off decades of coal muck.

pboae

I'd also try and get as much off dry as possible. A lot of it will just brush off, but when the fine dust mixes with water it turns into a sludge that stains everything.

misgrace

You will be suprised what sugar soap cleans, its brilliant stuff, but I also said if there were still any marks or grime from the coal dust then to use oilbase undercoat, and nothing will bleed thru that.

Many years ago I worked for insurance firms as a decorator, (I now work for myself), and I had to go in to homes that were fire damaged, water damaged, and smoke damaged, and a couple of times soot damaged, and the method I gave A_clock, is a tried and tested method that my firm and myself used on many occasions.

Admittidly I didnt think of the power washer, and now thinking on it would cut the job down by a considerable amount, but, if there is still any soot in the walls after using a power washer or sugar soap, then the oilbased and it has to be oilbased will stop any if there is any tiny bit of soot left bleeding thru.:D

mummyof3_2

Hia just about to move to our new haose and we have a coal house. Hubby blasted it with the power washer brilliant! no more coal dust. Got the kids to give it a lick of exterior paint. Did the same in the outhouse that has paint flaking off the walls x

spankymonkey_2

we have just done the same with our old coal shed... power wash it and painted it with brick paint from poundland....worked a treat!