Just a few supply and piece of elbow grease can keep your patio or garden path looking young .
Brick pavers are a secure material staring forcreating patio , garden paths , driveways and even pool surround . But without care , brick starts to look worn and dirty , and can even become escaped or mismatched . Frequent sweeping is one of the good ways to keep brick pavers looking good . But pavers can get soiled with turbid shoe , windblown scandal , food for thought spills , and standing piddle — and these expect a bit more cubitus grease . Here ’s how to clean brick pavers so they keep their crisp line of work and natural color .
Before You Start
The cleansing methods discussed below are for unpainted , clay brick pavers only . Some cleaners and scouring shaft may damage rouge , so expect for specific dry cleaners and instruction to best care for those surfaces . Concrete brick pavers can be regale similar to clay brick pavers , but look for commercial-grade intersection approved for cement and concrete . A dwelling melioration stock that deal cleansing solutions should be able to help .
What You’ll Need
Equipment / Tools
Materials
Instructions
How to Clean Brick Pavers
Check the Weather
When using a solution to tackle paver grime , theBrick Industry Association ( BIA)recommends cleaning when the temperature is above 50 degree and will ride out above freeze for a week . Avoid cleaning in in high spirits temperatures so that water and cleaning solutions do n’t dry too quickly . Cleaning solution that dry on brick often result in residue that you ’ll have to scrub away again .
Clear the Area and Make Repairs
Relocate planters , piece of furniture , and other items on or stymie access to pavers . Remove moss increase andpull out weedsand other plant life sprout between pavers . Be cautious not to loosen pavers when root out large weeds or damage the brick or roast with sharp weeding puppet . Your destination is to amply expose the brick for an even clean , which may mean trimming back encroaching gigantism from landscaping . debate covering nearby landscape gardening to protect it from overspray and cleaning solutions .
If there are damage bricks , uneven pavers , or mortar that ’s worn away , now is the good time to make those pickle , too . For brick installation that use sand in the junction , do not replace sand until you ’re done cleaning . Finally , sweep away large debris like rock’n’roll , twig , or clump of grime .
Pick a Cleaning Solution (or Two)
The BIA recommends checking with brick producer for criminal maintenance advice , since cleaning methods vary base on the specific material , installment , and what needs to be cleaned from the paver . However , if that data is not useable , theBIA has a canonical template for brick typesand cleaning method . It also discusses how to tackle specific stains .
Start by identifying cleaning solutions based on what you ’re sample to do , whether that ’s getting an overall uncontaminating or spot - treating a specific blot ( or both ) . H2O and mild dish soap is a democratic cleaning solution because it ’s easy to receive at home and it wo n’t damage brick , but it will undertake stains . The BIA recommends using hot water supply for surface clean with a detergent .
White acetum and water , another common family dry cleaner , can also be used on mildew . For brick pavers that get a greenish or blackish hue from moss and lichen , break fly-by-night environments , or pee run - off , the BIA recommend blanching agent and water ( mixed with a one - to - one ratio ) or commercially available biocide handling .
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
There are also a number of commercial cleaner available at dwelling house improvement retailers . product should indicate if they work for brick or masonry , but you may also look for stain - specific cleaners too . unproblematic Greenis a democratic brick - well-disposed cleaning product that can harness crude , grease , or rusting that work up up on locations like drive .
Avoid rough , acid dry cleaners if you do n’t demand them — the BIA mention these cleanup solutions " may not be appropriate for pavement control joint sand stabilizers or polymeric Baroness Dudevant - fill articulatio . " If you ’re not certain what you ’re trying to remove from the brick ’s surface , start with the least harsh cleaner first , like detergent and water system . Then work up to more powerful solutions .
Wet the Brick Pavers
Before you apply most dry cleaners to brick , cake the area with water . " saturate the surface prior to cleaning reduces the Freemasonry ’s assimilation rate , permit the cleanup solution to stay on the surface of the brickwork rather than being absorbed , " enunciate Charles B. Clark , Jr. , frailty president of technology Service for the Brick Industry Association . Stopping absorption not only allows the cleanser to stay on the surface to break down grunge , but it also prevents houseclean result remainder from settling into the brick .
Apply Cleaning Solution and Scrub
Put on glove to protect your hands , especially when working with a short - handled light touch . The BIA recommends working in low , manageable sections to avoid letting the piss fusee or clean solution ironic . Apply the cleanup solvent as directed on packaging , or with a sponge and bucket , handheld sprayer , or watering can designated for clean solution , depending on the size of the surface area .
Most solutions need to pose on brick for a few minutes so the cleaner can loosen dirt and strong residue like stuck - on food particles . However , follow steering for commercial products , and think giving something like a vinegar root a little sentence to work on peculiarly dense mildew or mould . Then scrub the surface with a stiff - bristle brush to free and absent the grunge , being careful not to sweep away guts intended to stay between pavers . Do not utilise steel brushes because they can scrape up the brick .
You canuse a pressing washerfor cleaning and rinse newer brick pavers , but it is not advocate for previous bricks or damaged mortar . " In universal , using a gloomy pressurized body of water cleaning gimmick is appropriate , " says Clark . " scurvy force per unit area is categorized by less than 400 psi . " When pressure washables , the BIA urge a wider degree beak ( 15 or 40 degrees ) and maintaining a minimum distance of 12 inches between the nozzle and the brick . Do not spray straight off into the joints between the pavers because it can dislodge sand and trench mortar that keep the pavers in place .
houseclean mildew or lichen might take a few attempts ; do n’t get discouraged if you have to go through the operation more than once to revive especially dingy pavers .
Rinse Surface
After cleaning brick pavers , rinse the surface with a steady hose . you’re able to use a miserable - pressure power washer if you need additional cleaning power for stuck - on gunk , but be sure not to calculate it between pavers . Do n’t allow water linger after rinse . Sweep water off the pavers in place where water garner , especially if it ’s a spot antecedently suffer from mildew buildup .
Refill Joints with Sand (Optional)
If there ’s sand ( not mortar ) between the brick pavers , you ’ll in all probability want to tot more after pressure washing . You might even need to touch up the Baroness Dudevant if you pull out dope before houseclean , or if it ’s simply been a while since the pavers were installed .
Once the pavers have dry ( give it a day or two ) , refill the spaces between brick with guts . sweep the Baroness Dudevant into the articulation and swing away excess on the surface . Hose down the orbit to nail down the fresh sand between the pavers .
