Repairs: walls

Mortar snots and stains are generally the result of careless repair work. Although some staining is unavoidable, it should be minimal if skilled bricklayers are used.

Solution

The stains can be removed by careful application of phosphoric acid cleaners and brushing, or using a carborundum stone to lightly grind off the material from the face of the brick.

CAUTION: Suitable is protection required – these cleaners are strong acids.

The same technique (using a carborundum block) can be used to rub-in soft bricks to match them into other work or cut in/clean up a simple profile. However, this is not really a substitute for a proper brick rubbing tool where complex profiles or mouldings need to be cut.