EFFLORESCENCE after four different cleanings with power washer, detergents, muriatic acid, scrub brush and wire brush here are the results:



It looks good for about 24 hours and then it’s back. Can hardly tell it was treated.
So who has been able to beat this stuff? Would really appreciate your experience. Thanks

Is that the wash that's. seen on TV? I've been tempted. No way in my whole wide world they over sell it.

Sand blasting?

There’s a brick mason from Houston on the forum.
I can’t remember his screen name, but I bet he could help.
Maybe somebody remembers and can get you hooked up with him.

Have you tried vinegar?

Maybe try some brick sealer.
I would try it on a small spot to see if it works first.

I give up.

Pee on it?

hehe , was going to say that but id get banned.

Buy one of these

Removal of Efflorescence
Several methods are suggested. One is to use water under pressure or one of a number of products available from stone dealers; another is muriatic acid with subse­quent flushing with water. Acid applied to brick masonry, without previous wetting, may cause "burning" or discoloration of the brick and may also eat into the mortar. The Handbook on Reinforced Grouted Brick Masonry Construction suggests the use of light sandblasting for removal of stubborn efflorescence (after many months). Allowing the surface to dry thoroughly and then using a stiff brush, prior to wash­ing with water, has helped prevent re-penetration of the surface by the salt.
Various methods have been used in attempts to remove efflorescence from masonry structures. It has been found that when efflorescence is caused by soluble alkali salts, the salts will dissolve in water applied to the structure and migrate back into it. These salts would then reappear on the surface as the structure redried. It was learned accordingly, that the best way to remove these soluble salts was to brush the surface thoroughly with a stiff brush. Water, however, has been satisfactory for removing efflorescence from the face of concrete structures, since concrete is fairly well saturated with water. In fact, efflorescence in the form of alkali salts will be washed from the surface of concrete structures, if exposed to rain, over some period of time. If the coating is largely calcium carbonate or calcium sulfate, it adheres rather strongly and is difficult to remove by brushing. The practice developed in this case for masonry surfaces, has been to saturate the structure as thoroughly as possible with water, and then wash with diluted muriatic acid, followed immediately with an alkaline wash, then washed with water. The acid recommended is five (5) parts hydrochloric to one hundred (100) parts water, or twenty (20) parts vinegar to one hundred (100) parts water. The alkaline wash recommended is diluted household ammonia.

Try white vinegar, spray full strength about a 2 foot square, let it soak a little bit and scrub with stiff bristle brush, Might have to do that a couple of times. Then rinse it good.

Most likely caused by a sprinkler head spraying water on the brick, so step
One may be redirecting the sprinklers so they spray away from the wall rather toward it, or moving it so it doesn’t spray/deflect back onto the wall.
I would try sand blasting if you are that concerned about it. If you don’t want to go that route get you some oleander and let it grow nice and tall. Cover it up so it isn’t seen.

Is it possible something like CLR would take care of it? I don’t really know what the base chemical of the “salt” is, but it is possible something will dissolve it. Maybe contact a brick specialist in the area and see what they say

Lime Away.

Baby oil

Thanks everyone for the tips. I may need to saturate the brick completely BEFOR the acid wash. The sprinklers have been nonfunctional for years. If this stuff comes off I can use a sealer.

Paint.

Contact this member

DSST_Construction

I would be curious what scrubbing a patch of it with a brush and distilled water would do. (edit: Do not rinse with tap water afterwards.) You may just have too many different dissolved minerals in your tap water messing up your results. That plus check the PH of the tap water.

Message me, my supplier carry’s specific stuff for brick like that. Usually it’s applied and the brushed lightly.

I’ll get you the info and you can order from them or online .

Just ordered this. As seen on TV.



Twenty seven feet high.

I'd try something similar to CLR. It's worked for me in the past on glass.
Not sure about brick.

Baby oil