I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior paver restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in sealing and protecting. For info about who I am, please read my full bio here.
Cleaning Efflorescence on Bricks
I am committed to being your go-to source for the latest tips and trends for your concrete and brick paver sealers through 2024 and beyond. Efflorescence, a white deposit of water-soluble salts, is a common problem with brick. This updated article explains how to clean efflorescence from your bricks and restore them to look new. Please comment below if you have encountered efflorescence on your bricks and have any suggestions or questions.
How to Clean White Efflorescence from Concrete
Efflorescence is a white deposit of water-soluble salts that can appear on masonry bricks. It can be a fine, powdery substance or a crystallized buildup. Depending on the type of salts present, they can also appear green, brown, or yellow. Efflorescence happens when soluble alkalis are present in the brick or grout, and moisture is able to penetrate the brick, forcing salt deposits to the surface. This can happen a month after the brick was laid or as long as a year later.
My Tips on Cleaning Efflorescence
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To clean efflorescence from bricks, a chemical cleaner or efflorescence remover can be used. Depending on the severity of the salt buildup, a good mildly acidic soap solution type of cleaner can work well. In some cases, the use of a pressure washer is not necessary. It can be a simple, spray-on procedure that eliminates the efflorescence salt deposits from the brick.
In extreme cases where the calcite type of crystallized buildup has occurred, appearing as an ivory-colored tough substance, a calcite presoak may have to be applied several times before using an efflorescence remover. If a pressure washer is needed to remove efflorescence, be cautious of using too much pressure, which can damage the mortar joints.
Sandblasting can also remove efflorescence from bricks, leaving the brick surface more porous and prone to additional efflorescence problems.
Cleaning efflorescence from brick will not cure the problem, meaning it only cleans the surface of the brick but will not stop efflorescence-prone bricks from re-depositing more salts on the surface. Moisture entering and mixing with the soluble alkali sulfates in the brick causes the efflorescence problem. At this point, all you can do after cleaning is to prevent moisture from entering the bricks by applying a brick sealer.
Before sealing bricks, it is essential to ensure they are completely dry. After cleaning efflorescence, allow the brick surface-to-air to dry for several days. Otherwise, you may trap moisture in the brick, preventing efflorescence from reoccurring underneath the sealer.
Cleaning efflorescence from bricks is not difficult with the right brick cleaner and a little patience. Be sure to follow the directions on the efflorescence remover that you use and apply a good brick sealer once the surface has completely dried.
Want to use a vinegar solution to get rid of efflorescence on interior floor and then sponge it off. Will it affect the sealer I will apply when everything is dry?
Vinegar will not remove efflorescence in our experience. You also cannot remove efflorescence from surfaces if already sealed. The sealer would have to be removed first.
Our concrete was installed in March 2020 and has never been sealed (since it is around our pool we were told it was best not to seal because it could make it slippery). The area under the overhang of our house is not affected but the area in the open is covered by a white chalky material. If you would like to call me, I can best be reached on my cell phone, 916-474-0212.
Thanks, Earl
Sorry, but we do not call people. It is definitely not efflorescence but not sure what it is.
I am sending two photos as a PDF.
That does not look like efflorescence but an old sealer that has discolored.
I hope I attached my photo correctly. If not, let me know and I will try again or you can give me an e-mail to send the photos to.
Thanks,
Earl
Your file type is not supported. Has to be png, jpg, gif, etc.
Do you have a recommendation on efflorescence removers on stamped concrete?
Post pictures.
Do you have a recommendation on efflorescence removers on stamped concrete?
This concrete is around a pool and we were told not to seal the concrete around a pool because it makes it slippery. Is there a product to help prevent efflorescence that isn’t a sealer?
Sealers do not prevent efflorescence, nothing does actually.
Does my patio that is being installed right now need to be sealed after it’s installed?
What happens if I never seal it?
I am in the process of getting my patio installed and the patio is not even half way through I see white spots all over the stones.
Is it normal to see these white spots so early while they are being installed?
Yes, it can be.
Is it necessary to seal the patio that I’m in the process of being installef?
Is it ok to never seal it?
You would have to wait a few months, then remove the white spots, then seal.
I am in the process of getting my patio installed but the workers are not even half way through and I notice white spots all over the paving stones. Is it normal for the white spots to appear while the stones are being installed?
I have some efflorescence on basement concrete floor. Painter did not remove efflorescence before putting epoxy down and needless to say the efflorescence bubbled up under the paint within a few days. How do I address this problem? Thanks.
Post a picture.
Hi! I have a Cambridge paver patio, and the supplier recommends Gator Seal (we prefer the natural look). Any experience with this product? Thanks!
No experience with it.
Will an efflorescence cleaner remove old sealer buildup and remove the white haze
No. You would have to strip off the old sealer first. https://www.concretesealerreview.com/how-to-strip-a-paver-sealer/
Clemons concrete cleaner does not appear to be available in my area. The supplier carries Clemons but not this product. Recommends Pro-Line Dura Strip. Is this comprable
Never used it.
I have used paint stripper and a steam cleaner to remove efflorescence and sealer on 4 feature brick pillars. I sealed it with a Bunnings product called diamond coat. It looked great for several days but came back nearly as bad.
I have now read that the best time to get best results is when weather is warmer and bricks are dry. Leave several days between stripping old sealer, using efflorescence and applying new sealer.
The sellys paint stripper worked very well but it insn’t cheap.
Good Morning,
I have a client who used an extreme amount of salt on the sidewalks this past winter and I’m looking for a chemical that will remove said salt on the brick face and sidewalk edges at the brick. Any advise?
Thank You
Sorry but no, never tried to remove just salt.
Hello.. my pavers were installed recently and I now see this whitish stuff on top. Please help. What do I need to do? Thank you
Try an efflorescence cleaner. We use EacoChem products.
Thank you
I have this efflorescence showing up on some of the in side bricks on the dining room walls. the house is about 65 years old. I definitely. My girl friend been living here since 1972, and this just showed up. I will admit we are in central Pa. and this has been the wettest year!
Find out where water is coming into wall from above, roofing, flashing, bad mortar joints exposed to weather, and repair first… Then and only then fix problem inside….
Any idea what this is and how to remove?
That looks like bad sealer that needs to be chemically stripped. Try Clemons Concrete Sealer Stripper.
I used Syntech Masonary to remove cloudy look on paver, looked good when i I applied. Almost an oily feel to it and darker the pavers. When rinsed off still did not remove the milky look.
Post a picture.
1. How long after laying patio pavers over a concrete patio should I wait before applying the EaCo Chem NMD80 efflorescence remover/cleaner. The pavers were laid 2 months ago, and have a good deal of efflorescence residue on the surface.
2. How long should I wait between cleaning pavers and applying Supreme Shield SB600 sealer?
3. Will this sealer prevent any recurrence of efflorescence?
Thank you,
Bill
1. You should be good to clean now.
2. A few days after is normal.
3. No that is not possible. No sealer can stop efflorescence.
Your issues with the heavy efflorescence is most likely related to you putting the pavers over concrete. We have seen numerous issues with this as it does not allow proper drainage. It leaves the pavers wet and then the efflorescence salts will be drawn towards the surface from the sun. You may want to remove now and wait a month or two to see if it comes back. If not, go ahead and seal.
What is the best brick efflorescence remover? Have tried bleach, vinegar, so-called brick cleaners,
power washing, etc.
Diana
We use a product called NMD80 from eacochem for many of the projects we clean.
Do you work for a company? If so, do you do interior brick cleaning?
Sorry but we do not do interior work, just exterior.
Hi,
Thanks for all the info you offer, it's very helpful. I have a fair amount of effloresce on a 4 month old concrete paver patio. I have two questions: 1) Would you recommend a specific brand of effloresce remover and 2) do you think the SureBond 6000 sealer would work well for preventing effloresce in the future or is it likely to trap it under the sealer. Thanks!
1. NMD80 or Surebond SB-488
2. No sealer will stop efflorescence.