Mortar Spill Clean-up

[Ronniels]

A customer just had a tile floor installed in her kitchen.
The contractors used her back porch to cut the tile.
They got reddish-pink tile dust all over her light colored brick (Muriatic or Oxacylic to clean??)

And spilled mortar on the brick steps and then it rained and now she has concrete lumps up the steps.
What is the best way to remove these?

The house is less than 5 moths old.

Thanks!

Ronnie

 

[Bill B]

Don't know what tile mortar is made from, but assuming a beast similar to brick mortar (i.e. acid softens it), then I would use Sure Klean to clean, as follows:

1. Assuming a small area, I would dilute to 25% with water.
2. Prewet area with water.
3. Brush on diluted masonry solution with an acid brush. use brush to agitate mortar if possible.
4. Let sit for 3-5 minutes and rinse off.
You indicated that this was a "light colored brick". Had it been darker, or you had some experience with muratic, then I would replace the Sure Klean with muratic diluted to 10-15%.
If the above doesn't take it off, you may need to use a stronger concentration and PW.

 

[Mike Hughes]

Do a test patch first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Larry L.]

I agree with Bill and the only thing I see that he left out was the lumps.To make the job go faster take a hammer and chisel and tap the lumps off.

 

[ghouchu]

i suspect i'm going to hear that it was dumb luck, but i've had success cleaning spilled, hardened mortar off both bricks and cement by using pressure alone. i hold the wand at a very low angle to the ground, so as to minimize the pressure on the underlying brick or concrete and blast away with my 15degree nozzle. that also works pretty well on asphalt that has spilled over into the streetside gutter or curb facing. now the dirt trapped under the mortar required some bleach to lift it up.

if that was stupid and i was very lucky not to have torn up the brick under the mortar, somebody please let me know befor i find out the hard way.

thanks

richard

 

[Ronniels]

Tile Mortar is essentially the same but with a flexible additive.

How about the dust stains from the tile cutting?