5 bright solutions for cleaning bricks

On exterior house walls, interior fireplaces or garden accessories, bricks are pretty much maintenance free but can become dirty, stained or water damaged. Here a few different ways to make your brickwork look as good as new.

Exposed interior brick can be cleaned by simply putting the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner and running it over the wall. The brush will loosen the dust and dirt and the vacuum will suck it up.

• On exterior brick that stays damp and shaded, mould, mildew and algae are commonly a problem. To kill and remove the growth, mix 30 ml (2 tbsp) of bleach with 1 litre (1 quart) of water in a bucket.
• If you find you need more strength, increase the bleach.
• Wearing rubber gloves, dip a stiff-bristled brush (not metal) in the solution and scrub the brick.
• To rinse, hose the brick down with fresh water.

• For cleaning dingy brick, some masonry professionals swear by lye, which is another name for caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). This is a chemical used in oven cleaners, or a drain opener like Drano Crystals. These are both extremely harsh substances, so wear rubber gloves, long sleeves and protective goggles.
• Oven cleaner, which comes in an aerosol container, is easiest to work with. To use, spray on full-strength oven cleaner.
• Caustic soda and drain opener come in crystallised form. To use, pour 45 ml (3 tbsp) of crystals into a bucket and add 4 litres (4 quarts) of water. This way you don't have to do any mixing.
• Apply the solution with an old rag.
• Whichever cleaner you are using, let it sit for 15 minutes and follow up with a scrubbing brush.
• Apply the cleaner again if necessary and scrub once more.
• Rinse with water.

• Mix 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) of a cola soft drink (its acid adds cleaning muscle), 125 ml (1/2 cup) of a household cleaner, and 4 litres (4 quarts) of water in a bucket.
• Sponge the solution onto the sooty brick and let it sit for 15 minutes.
• Scrub with a stiff-bristled brush to loosen the soot.
• Rinse with a clean sponge and fresh water. Outside, use a hose.
• To make the solution more powerful, add more cola.
• An alternative is to buy a commercial soot remover from a store that sells fireplace gear, follow the product's instructions and save the cola to quench your thirst on a hot day.

• A high-pressure hose can work magic in cleaning brick, but be careful — the pressure can damage both mortar and bricks, especially bricks with a sand finish.
• Use a low setting and keep the nozzle 60 cm (25 in) from the wall.
• Aim for the brick, not the mortar.