Here’s How To Remove Hard Water Stains From Brick

Hard water stains are a pain to clean off brick. However, as much as you may want to put off the chore, they’re an unsightly blemish. So you’re better served cleaning them up. But hard water stains, especially those on bricks, are tricky to clean. They require a lot of scrubbing and specialized cleaners to get the job done right. Start by making sure you’ve got all your supplies handy, and some time set aside to knock the chore out.

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What Are Hard Water Stains?

Hard water stains are the result of minerals in your water; the water evaporates and the buildup stays behind. They are generally composed of calcium carbonate. This means that you’ll need an acid-based cleaner to get rid of them. However, you cannot use just any acid-based cleaner; some of them will do more harm than good. For example, don’t use muriatic acid, because it can stain or bleach many colors of brick and cause aluminum window frames to corrode.

Break Out the Elbow Grease

Instead, several brick cleaners are available that, because of special buffers, work well without those problems. Your local brick dealer probably carries these products. But if not, companies like ProSoCo and Diedrich Technologies offer reputable exterior brick cleaner products so you can learn how to clean exterior brick.

When you clean the brick, remember that you are using an acid-based product and follow all precautions and directions carefully. Do not mix the cleaner with other cleaners or you run the risk of creating toxic gasses. And be sure to wear proper protective equipment while you’re prepping, cleaning, and finishing up.

After cleaning your brick, avoid some future headaches by sealing it with a siloxane or silane-based sealer (available from the same sources listed above). To find out more information on cleaning, visit the Brick Industry Association.