Mrs. Fixit: Power Wash Brick

September 21, 2013 (WPVI) -- Brick walkways and patios are a popular choice for their classic look.

But overtime& dirt, grime and even moss can cause discoloration leaving it dull and unwelcoming!

Well, guess what? You can fix it and all you need is a power washer!

To brighten and restore the brick& first, it's important to thoroughly soak the surface with regular water, using a low pressure spray pattern.

Rinsing it before washing it will create a protective barrier between the brick and detergent.. Because brick is porous you don't want detergent soaking into it.

After the surface is completely wet&use a low pressure stream and lots of detergent...

You can make your own powerwashing detergent with 1 cup oxygen bleach and ¼ cup of dishwashing detergent to a gallon of water.

Let the soap sit for about 5 minutes before rinsing&

A high pressure spray can force detergent into the brick, which can leave ugly stains.

So divide up your project and work in smaller sections.

Once you're done with a section &.flush the detergent off with a basic rinse&

After that....do a more thorough rinse&moving slowly covering 2-3 rows of brick at a time&and making sure all the detergent is washed away.

You'll have to repeat the process several times for deeper stained areas. But you can already see the difference. Try it!

I'm Mrs. Fixit and it's just that simple!

Get more Mrs. Fixit »

mrs. fixit, lifestyle, mrs. fixit

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•