There are two common white deposits which appear on paving. Here is our advice for dealing with this unsightly phenomenon.
The first is what we commonly refer to as salt (sodium chloride). Salt is soluble in water and will reabsorb into the substrates of the stone rather than simply washing away, this causes it to reappear later on. Our solution to this problem is to apply EASY Efflorescence Remover+. It works by coating the salt which then allows it to be washed away. It is designed to not only aid the removal of dissolvable surface salts but it will also neutralise salts within the stone, reducing the likelihood of future salts returning to the surface (multiple applications maybe required to achieve satisfactory results).
The other white deposit which is sometimes confused for salt is actually calcium based, think of it like limescale on your kettle or taps, it still appears when wet and can be a pain to remove. Azpects make a product called EASY Mortar Stain and Calcium Remover that was originally designed to remove cement but it’s also handy for removing calcium deposits and crucially doesn’t harm the stone below.
A quick video showing the differences between salt and calcium on paving
The only stone you need to be wary of when tackling calcium deposits is Limestone which has a similar chemical makeup. The downside of trying to remove calcium from Limestone is that anything designed to remove calcium can also damage the Limestone below. If you do want to remove calcium deposits from Limestone we recommend you take extra care when applying any chemical to Limestone. We always recommend doing a test patch preferably on an off cut before jumping into a far larger area. It's not worth fixing one problem but causing others. When it comes to brick acid, designed to remove mortar from bricks, we strongly recommend avoiding it on the use of any natural stone.
In the case of Black Limestone which particularly displays white deposits and in some cases is known to fade from a deeper black to a lighter grey, we make a product to revive the colour called EASYSeal Back to Black Limestone. If you are cleaning white deposits off paving prior to reviving it with Back to Black Limestone, the good news is it that creates a uniform finish and will help to cover up any stains or damage done by the cleaning chemicals.
Using Back to Black Limestone to cover acid damage
via GIPHY
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