# How long to wait before cleaning new tuckpointed brick mortar with muriatic acid?



## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

How about never. Plain old water should work just fine, wait a couple days if it really is a hydraulic mortar.


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

Tscarborough said:


> How about never. Plain old water should work just fine, wait a couple days if it really is a hydraulic mortar.


it does not work nearly as well as muriatic acid. the acid cleans it super nice


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

water won't attack/destroy mortar,,, have seen brickies use acid but never knew what the dilution was,,, to etch conc, we use 1HCl ( plain ol' apron store muriatic ) : 8 wtr,,, brickwork i dunno but, based on his bona fides, i'll sit w/t-scar 1st


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

It is lime mortar, not portland cement mortar. I didn't say muriatic wouldn't work, I said it is better not to, and for a lime mortar it is not needed.


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## RWolff (Jan 27, 2013)

Concrete actually continues curing for years, but gains most of it's strength within about 30 days


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

Tscarborough said:


> It is lime mortar, not portland cement mortar. I didn't say muriatic wouldn't work, I said it is better not to, and for a lime mortar it is not needed.


it is very much needed, there is white residue from lime on bricks from pointing, which muriatic acid cleans very effectively


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

So does water, and even vinegar, with much less chance of damage.


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

Tscarborough said:


> So does water, and even vinegar, with much less chance of damage.


if you only use water, the white haze resurfaces on the brick. dude, trust me, i've done two large walls already. the acid definitely cleans it good


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

Here is the super clean look after acid. Keep in mind the brick is over 100 y.o.


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

And here is the look before


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

First, I don't see how in the world you got so much mortar smeared on the wall. Work on that first. Second, you will get a much worse haze later from using the acid, plus it is entirely possible to burn the brick and the mortar unless you are very careful with the application.

Fell free to use it, but please understand the dangers of doing so for the casual DIY'er: Future efflorescence, ruined brick and mortar, physical harm to you and the plants in the area, and all for very little gain over other products that are safe for you and the wall that work just as well.


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

Tscarborough said:


> First, I don't see how in the world you got so much mortar smeared on the wall.


because it had plaster over brick for >100 yrs. i removed the plaster to expose the brick.


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

Ah, I took this, "*I am about to retuckpoint my exposed brick wall with a custom mortar mix*" to mean that you were tuckpointing a wall.

In the case of removing old plaster haze, you would need either muriatic (still a bad choice) or a proprietary product that will still contain acids (but not hydrochloric) but will also have surfactants and buffers to make for a better and safer job. There are many on the market, ProSoCo makes several depending upon the specific brick and type of plaster being removed.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

amakarevic said:


> if you only use water, the white haze resurfaces on the brick. dude, trust me, i've done two large walls already. the acid definitely cleans it good


Listen closely to Tscar, he's giving you great advice...........




RWolff said:


> Concrete actually continues curing for years, but gains most of it's strength within about 30 days


I think you may have posted in the wrong thread again, as no one's talking about concrete, except you of course.................


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## PoorBastard#1 (Mar 28, 2021)

Tscarborough said:


> How about never. Plain old water should work just fine, wait a couple days if it really is a hydraulic mortar.





Tscarborough said:


> How about never. Plain old water should work just fine, wait a couple days if it really is a hydraulic mortar.


Hey Scarborough, are you a young TREE HUGGER?? Using a muriatic acid/water mix is a time tested and sccepted method of cleaning brick. How do you get off saying NEVER??


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