Maintaining Your Outdoor Brick and Stone

You’ve spent a lot of time and money installing your brick façade, and your hard work has paid off. Using stone and brick is one of the most beautiful ways to decorate the outside of your home, but like everything else, even they need care and attention every once in a while.

Weathering of brick and stone façade will happen over time, most often the problem being moss growth. While some people enjoy the look of moss on the outside of their houses, others prefer a clean and polished look. Aside from aesthetics, too much moss growth on a stone or brick pathway can be dangerous for you and your family. If you don’t want moss and weeds to become an everyday staple of your outdoor décor, follow these steps to make sure your stone and brick stay sparkling. 

Before you start, you will need a few items. Make sure you have:

Latex Gloves

Bucket

Oxygen bleach (Ex: OxiClean, Ajax Oxygen Bleach or Oxy-Boost)

Warm water

Push broom

Handheld brush

Hose

1.    Put your latex gloves on before you begin cleaning the brick to ensure your hands will be protected from start to finish.

2.    Mix one cup of the oxygen bleach with one gallon of warm water. Using your gloved hands, dissolve the powder in the water by swishing it around for a minute or two, making sure the ingredients are completely combined.

3.    Pour your homemade cleaning solution directly onto the brick or stone, covering all areas, even ones that aren’t affected by moss or weeds. Allow the solution to sit for about 20 minutes. Once the product has been soaked up, take your push broom and brush and diligently scrub the stone and brick.

4.    Once the desired amount of greenery has been removed, rinse the remaining solution off with a hose. If growth remains, repeat the process as desired. To maintain your brick façade and keep it looking like new, use this process on a regular basis, depending on how fast the moss grows in your area and the time of year.

With regular care and maintenance of your outdoor stone and brick, your home and landscaping will look as beautiful as the day you had it installed. With just a little effort, regular attention to this part of your home will have long lasting results over the years.