Brickcleaning advice on front of victorian terrace

[vekz]

Hi

I am currently renovating a Victorian terrace and wanted some advice on brick cleaning and whether I should consider getting a professional brick cleaning company to come clean the front of the terrace although I do not want the color of the brick to change as it is already lighter than the neighboring terraces.

 

Issues

1) Paint marks

2) What seems to be blackening near the cills on the first floor (can anyone enlighten me on what this is?)

 

If anyone in East London is able to help, please let me know

 

Thank you

 

[markc]

If you sand blast the bricks will probably look lighter, the blackening is water and soot run off at the end of the cills, a good scrub with water and detergent should remove most of that. If not a wire brush which will also remove the paint … pretty straight forward DIY makeover/freshen up

Edited November 24, 2021 by markc

[saveasteading]

58 minutes ago, markc said:

a good scrub with water and detergent

Yes, beware. A brick is not normally the same all the way through. 

If you remove the surface you will likely find a different colour underneath and it may not be so water resistant.

 

I remember that on British Rail projects (a lot of soot around) they specified a particular product for cleaning old walls such as railway arches. Unusually, nobody ever suggested anything as an alternative, so it must have been ok.

I think it was an acid gel.

I think a web search is called for. 

It will be a messy and tiring  job, with full PPE and scaffold, so expensive.

 

A  pressure wash will clean the bricks but might damage the mortar.

 

 I think I would grow to like the sooty look.

[vekz]

Thank you for your replies. 
 

I was also looking into stormdry and adding 1 coat to protect the brickwork. Is this worth doing? 

[saveasteading]

6 minutes ago, vekz said:

stormdry

Why? I thought this was just aesthetics.

 

Such products must be used with great care. The house is old and has kept the rain out for a long time. It is unlikely to benefit (and could be harmed)  from a coat of silicon.

 

Looking again at the photo, is it only the black streaks below the windows that concern you?

I expect this is a damper area of wall where water is running off the window sill, attracting either dirt or mould.

The problem is probably the sills, as water should drip off the fronts, not run off the ends.

[tonyshouse]

Dirt and dust runoff clean with soap and water, vert carefully scrape paint off using the point of a Stanley blade, if difficult boiling water on a cloth and dab but it will spread