Cleaning smoke stains from brick facade

Hi, our brick townhouse facade got marked with some smoke stains during a fire in an adjacent building – nothing terribly extensive but enough to be visible and require fixing beyond just soap and water. Does anyone have any advice for the best way to remove the stains without damaging the brick/pointing? It seems like a job for a professional but I don’t know exactly what sort of professional to contact, so any tips/references/recommendations appreciated. Thanks in advance.

bksince95

in Facade and Brownstone Repair 11 years and 1 month ago

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handyrenny | 11 years ago

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We will help you with this problem. Call Renny 646-221-9147

resident2 | 11 years and 1 month ago

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Call Glenwood construction: 718-213-9394 they took care of a similar issue for me recently. Very quickly & efficiently. Pressure cleaning, only using a mild chemical if needed.

thetinkerswagon | 11 years and 1 month ago

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I would think a poultice would work on the brick but it may be problematic on the pointing (as it may embed and stick). try reading about using a poultice on the net. muriatic acid would do the trick, but it is a little risky as it may damage the brick. with care it can be done and now that I think of it, I used muriatic acid on a 100 plus year old brick wall in 1985 and was concerned it would lead to early decay and it is still fine to this day. the muriatic will certainly work on the mortar joints harder than on the brick. it can also be reduced. I do believe most muriatic sold in stores as at 10% solution and can be cut with water to tame it even further. other acids or combinations of acid may work – such as citrus acid or hydrochloric acid. we keep several acids around for polishing and dying metals and sometimes experiment to get the desired results. Steve

dorkofwindsor | 11 years and 1 month ago

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i will chine in and suggest most likely a high pressure washer. Any contractor with a ladder and a machine and access to a faucet may be able to do the job. Hopefully you will find someone whom can assess how much pressure is good and how much is too much. Hard to say if it will affect the pointing until its done. There are also specialists such as Aqua Blast on Staten Island (have not used them). Of course, you could also rent one and a ladder if you are adventurous, but it can be dangerous on a ladder operating a high pressure device. I’ve seen at least one guy almost bite the dust. Best of Luck,