Any brickies on here?

[JQ]

We had a new front garden wall built about 6 months ago using reasonable quality bricks. They are now turning white with a powdery residue seeping out of the bricks, sort of salty.

What's the best thing to do and is there anything I can do to stop it happening again? My plan was just to jetwash the bricks with my Karcher.

[Slagathore]

It's called efflorescence, that's pretty much as far as my knowledge goes on it, but I'm sure there are others on here who know more about it.

Probably loads of info if you Google it. I'm not sure just pressure washing it off will work, as it's something to do with moisture/salts inside the bricks?

[anonymous-user]

As above tech term.
Usually leaches from the mortar.

We had it appear on a new extention after a blocked gutter got the wall really wet.

It's a new wall and just overwintered and probably got pretty damp.so the minerals will have leached
a bit. When it gets really dry give the wall a good scrub with a brush to get mostof it off. Then use a damp sponge.To clean up possibly with a mild brick acid solution added to the water (wear gloves & be careful as it stings).

It wouldn't help if the wall was built in the rain or kept covered up whilst curing.

It should wash out evntually if it's not too bad

[JQ]

Cheers - currently working through all the Google hits at the moment.

It looks more complex than I initially thought, so if there is anyone out there with a wonder treatment, please let me know.

[Simpo Two]

I'd just brush it off with a stiff brush.

[Mr GrimNasty]

Best plan is just forget it and wait a couple of years for it to weather down. Pretty normal TBH.

[Zip106]

Rub it off with an old jute bag - like a potato sack.

[Spudler]

As Grim bloke said.

Did they use a plastizer or a washing up liquid in the mix?. Some washing liquids contain salt which undoes all the prep the sand goes through before it reaches the merchants.

[JQ]

Cheers all. The wife was out there this morning scrubbing it down with a stiff brush and it looks alot better now.

[rovermorris999]

Good man!