Masonry Magazine September 2005 Page. 28
CLEANING
Metallic staining doesn't always come from water running off metal.
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No Stain is the Same
When it comes to cleaning masonry, there is no quick, easy solution that works in every situation. Just because you've used one method on stained brick one day, doesn't mean it will work on a different stain the next. That's why mason contractors and their crews need to familiarize themselves with the options and learn from the experts.
One such group that has provided expertise in the masonry cleaning arena for over 30 years is Unique Industries, Inc. of Wheat Ridge. Colo., manufacturer of Kem-O-Kleen masonry cleaning equipment.
In an effort to teach more people about proper cleaning techniques, the company is now offering a free masonry cleaning manual. The manual is full of recipes for solutions and poultices for cleaning a variety of stains on masonry. Special topics covered by the manual include cleaning new masonry, cleaning efflorescence stains, stains of unknown origins and smoke damage.
Information in the manual includes tips such as: the removal of almost any type of stain is expedited and the chance of damage to the surface eliminated with the use of hot water and a suitable, heated cleaning agent applied either with or without pressurized water.
This manual's indispensable advice will be a valuable addition to your library when you run into that stain that just won't go away.
To request a copy of the manual, call Unique Industries at (800) 274-4121
Brown Stains in Kansas
METALLIC STAINING doesn't always come from water running off metal.
Mike Dickey, a partner in the manufacturer's representative firm Frieze and Associates in Leawood, Kan., reports that a middle school in Gardner where the contractor tried to cut corners paid the price with stains. The contractor used cheap muriatic acid, also referred to as hydrochloric acid, for post-construction clean down rather than the proprietary new construction cleaner specified by the architect.
The result, Dickey says, was a huge brown stain that spread across the north face of the school's gymnasium. "It looked like a rash on the brick," he says. "It was nasty."
Many brick manufacturers use metallic additives, such as manganese, to create various brick colors and effects. In this case, the muriatic acid reacted directly with the metallic content to create hard-to-remove stains.
Although proprietary masonry cleaners may contain acid, it's usually in small amounts. The acid component is harnessed and channeled by inhibitors, surfactants and other ingredients that magnify the acid's useful properties while keeping the masonry safe. These cleaners also come with specific application and safety instructions-something muriatic acid doesn't.
Dickey successfully tested a proprietary blend of acid, surfactants (the main component of detergents) and inhibitors on the disfigured masonry. The solution re-dissolved the metallic stains for rinsing away with clean water. Using the specialty product, workers restored the wall to its intended appearance.