How Do You Clean Red Brick Pavers Near Fireplace

How to clean the bricks above a fireplace

A reader tried to make clean these fireplace bricks just wasn't satisfied with the result. (Reader photo)

Q: I tried to clean bricks above a fireplace with lather and water, merely I got an uneven upshot. How tin can I practise a better task?

Bethesda

A: If yous didn't saturate the bricks with water before you lot applied the cleaning solution, that could explain the blotchiness.

The Brick Industry Clan, a trade group, recommends starting the cleaning process by saturating the bricks with water, because that stops most of the cleaning solution from being captivated into the bricks. The cleaner volition then stay on the surface, where it can dislodge crud. Dry bricks blot whatever liquid is applied, and if that's muddy or soapy water, it can go difficult to rinse away. In the picture you sent, the bricks closest to the fireplace opening appear more than streaked than those higher up them. That could exist because they absorbed cleaning solution that dripped from bricks higher up.

Outdoors, saturating bricks is easy: Merely plough on a hose and make sure all the bricks get wet. Indoors, even if y'all mask surrounding surfaces with plastic sheeting, you lot obviously desire to limit how much water you introduce. A masonry sponge, sold at home centers, makes a good tool for transferring water to bricks while minimizing drips. This type of sponge, sold for cleaning grout, holds a lot more h2o than typical household sponges.

A reader's new range hood was scratched by builders during a kitchen renovation. (Reader photo)

So what to do at present? Beginning past saturating the brick with h2o. Scrub with soapy water, using a clear soap or ane labeled for apply on brick. Scrub with a fiber or plastic-bristle brush, non one with metallic bristles. Then rinse several times, using the masonry sponge. Rinse and re-moisture the sponge with clear water as you go.

Once the brick dries, cheque once more for stains. If fume stains remain, the Brick Manufacture Association recommends using a stiff-bristle brush and scouring pulverisation that contains bleach. Once more, rinse the remainder thoroughly.

I but had my house renovated and gained a cute new kitchen in the process. Simply the builders desperately scratched the range hood when they were installing it. They said they'd set up information technology, only they don't know how. It is a Capital stainless-steel ventilation hood. They also scratched the front edge of the range. Practice yous have any suggestions for how they can set this before they end the punch listing?

Washington

It is possible to remove light scratches on stainless steel past polishing the metal with a maroon Scotch-Brite pad, which is about as annoying as 360-to-400-dust sandpaper. The technique calls for rubbing only in the direction of the fine lines on the surface, which, from the movie you sent, appear to run horizontally.

But, as y'all say, these scratches are bad — and then deep that they appear to cut through the fine stop lines. Polishing with the pad probably will not remove the deep scratches.

The hood you bought is a single piece, welded at joints, said Bob Waymire, a customer service representative at Uppercase Cooking Equipment (866-402-4600; majuscule-cooking.com). So the architect would demand to buy a new hood (without the motor, as that should be fine) or requite yous plenty of a discount to exit yous satisfied with whatever scratches remain. The same situation applies to the range.

A hood without a motor costs virtually $620 (compared with $2,670 for the complete unit of measurement). A new door for a 36-inch range runs $300 to $500, depending on the model (compared with $two,500 to $4,500 for the whole range). If the scratches are on the top edge, there is a bull-nose piece there that also can be replaced. Waymire said he would demand the model number to cite a price.

Accept a problem in your home? Send questions to localliving@washpost.com . Put "How To" in the subject line, tell us where you live and endeavour to include a photo.

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How Do You Clean Red Brick Pavers Near Fireplace,

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/how-to-clean-the-bricks-above-a-fireplace/2016/08/19/8300c86a-5b33-11e6-9767-f6c947fd0cb8_story.html

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