Do Homeowners Really Need To Clean Brick Walls?
Even the most diligent homeowner rarely considers the need to clean older brick surfaces — brick, after all, seems just about permanent. But cleaning bricks enhances their appearance and add to their longevity and preservation. Walls encrusted with years of dirt and grime are subject to masonry decay at a far more rapid rate than clean walls. The discoloration and surface grime accumulation on brick occurs over a period of many years, so a homeowner is often unaware of how substantially the appearance of a brick wall has been impacted. The major cause of masonry decay is moisture. A wall that is heavily painted or coated with surface dirt does not allow the natural evaporation of moisture contained within the masonry. Some hygroscopic staining materials may actually add moisture by drawing it from the surrounding atmosphere. Stained surfaces allow more surface area to be exposed to damaging atmospheric and other pollutants and may actually react with gases in the air to form corrosive
