Brick Acid is great for cleaning limescale off bricks but it is awful for many natural stones.
It’s very common for some builders to recommend using brick acid to clean paving, whether it is for concrete or natural stone but beware you could be doing more damage than good. Before you use it consider other types of cleaning products that won’t damage your paving or react with cement pointing, jointing compounds or even burning skin, eyes or clothing!
It’s impossible to list every product that you shouldn’t put on paving however common sense should rule out many.
It is amazing how many phone calls and emails our technical team receive from people who have used brick acid and how they now amazed with the results in a bad way.
We try to help where we can, Azpects do have some products that can help with the damage, but generally once the damage has been done, that’s it.
Common Problems with Brick Acid
Some of the problems you get include turning paving orange, because of the iron content within it, sandstone can have a violent rusty reaction. Limestone can be dissolved by brick acid due to the presence of hydrochloric acid within it. Surfaces can be stained and permanently damaged, the acid acts like an ‘etch’, stripping the top layer away.
You should also be very careful that the brick acid doesn’t come into contact with clothing, skin and eyes. The fumes can be very toxic too, potentially causing damage to the nose, throat and lungs. Children, pets, plants and grass should be kept away as it will damage or kill just about anything organic.
What are the Alternatives to Brick Acid?
This is where Azpects come in, we have several cleaning products (part of the EASYCare range) each designed to clean paving as safely with as little impact on the environment as possible. For example, to remove Mortar stains use our EASYMortar Stain & Calcium remover which doesn’t need to be neutralised after use (unlike brick acid), it contains an organic acid alternative.
Azpects always recommend you test a small area before use to ensure compatability with the substrate.
EASY Mortar Stain & Calcium Remover results via GIPHY
For orangey stains on paving as mentioned above, try EASY4Rust - A Non-acid rust remover, highly concentrated and efficient at removing rust and oxidisation from natural stone without causing the damage products like brick acid can cause.
Azpects always recommend you test a small area before use to ensure compatability with the substrate
A Rusty Patio
Got any questions? Azpects offer a Customer & Merchant Support Helpline: +44 (0)1473 760777
For more information on our EASYCare range follow this link: http://www.azpects.co.uk/cleaners-and-treatments.aspx
For our full list of products visit: http://www.azpects.co.uk/products.aspx
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