Nothing compares to the timeless, rustic appearance of an exposed brick wall.
Whether it’s located in your living room, bedroom, dining room, bathroom or elsewhere, it will add a unique element to your home’s decor.
However, exposed brick walls also present cleaning challenges.
With its porous nature, brick absorbs and holds moisture from its surroundings.
If not cleaned on a regular basis, this will cause mold and mildew to form — two things you probably want to avoid in your home.
Furthermore, the rough, sandpaper-like texture of brick captures dust, dirt, and debris.
As this airborne particulate matter accumulates, it will negatively affect your home’s appearance. So, how exactly should you clean an exposed interior brick wall?
Preparation
Before cleaning your exposed brick wall, you should prepare the area by removing all furniture and placing drop cloths on the floor.
Cleaning a brick wall can be messy, and failure to prepare the area beforehand may result in damage your furniture or floors.
Some homeowners might be tempted to use a store-bought brick cleaning detergent.
The problem with most of these products is that they are designed for outdoor use.
They typically contain harsh chemicals and solvents that shouldn’t be used indoors.
A safer solution is to create your own cleaning product using one part liquid dish detergent and one part salt.
Cleaning Your Interior Brick Wall
Now comes the fun part: cleaning the brick wall.
Using a standard dish sponge, apply the soapy solution to your exposed brick, beginning at the top and working your way to the bottom.
You don’t need to completely saturate the brick. Rather, apply just enough to create a moist surface.
When you are finished, let the solution sit for at least 20 minutes.
After allowing the soapy solution to sit, use a hard-bristle brush to scrub off any remaining dirt or debris.
Depending on how just how dirty your brick wall is, you may need to rinse your brush every few swipes; otherwise, you’ll just move the dirt around instead of actually removing it.
Finally, clean the remaining soap residue off your brick wall using a new water-soaked sponge.
When you are finished, your exposed brick wall will look like new.
Don’t Attempt to Clean Crumbling Brick
Assuming your exposed brick wall is just superficially dirty, you can clean it using the steps listed here.
You may need to use more than just a maid service to clean a brick wall.
If it’s damaged to the point where it’s crumbling, however, you should consider hiring a professional brick repair and restoration company like Point Brik.
They have tools and experience needed to restore damaged brick back to its original condition.
Cleaning an exposed interior brick wall doesn’t have to be challenged.
Using nothing more than a few household sundries, you can remove stubborn dirt and improve its appearance.