Cleaning Interior Brickwork
Interior bricks may be dusted with vacuum cleaner dusting attachments. Freshen periodically with commercial brick cleaner. If the bricks in question were sealed before they were installed, it will be much easier to keep them clean. Vacuum regularly, and occasionally damp mop using a string mop with plain water to remove soil. When more heavily soiled, the bricks may have to be cleaned using a mild detergent solution and possibly a scrub brush mop as well. Rinse them well, and wipe dry for greater sheen.
Damp-mopping after vacuuming will prevent dirt from building up. Try putting 1 cup of vinegar in the mop water to make the floor shine without being polished.
Cleaning Interior Brick Floors
Interior brick floors may be cleaned with a solution of a moderately strong alkali such as washing soda or borax. Use about 1 tablespoon in a gallon of warm water, stronger if needed. Use either a string mop or scrub brush mop; spong or flat cloth mops can get shredded on the coarse brick. Rinse well to remove all solution.
If the bricks have been sealed, you may find white or gray dust tracked over both that surface and into carpeted floor areas when you have finished. The whitish dust is from the grout used in laying the floor. This generally means that the bricklayer used muriatic acid to clean up the floor surfaces when he completed the job. You will need to keep flushing with clean water until the muriatic acid no longer leaches lime from the grout; causing the whitish dust. Most bricklayers today use a commercial product that is easier to wash off, but also more expensive.
Sealing a brick floor or fireplace will make it easier to clean. However, experts recommend against it because it will seal any moisture that is already in the brick inside the brick, and interior moisture may not be able to escape. Allowing bricks to breathe is important.
We have brick floors in our sun-room that are 17 years old. They were never sealed and they are really dirty. The grout lines have ground-in grease and oil from food droppings. We have a large family and eat in there. Anyway, we are getting ready to redecorate the room and I want to know how to really clean the brick. My mother-in-law was told to seal the brick with boiled linseed oil. What is your opinion of that? Thanks!!
Hi:
I have a house with 50-year-old interior brick floor. It seems that some sealant was used on the brick floor. Now, after all these years, the floor is dirty – also the grout is quite dirty.
How should I get it cleaned?
I have got two totally different opinions from people – one wants to use muriatic acid to clean up the grout and then seal with polyurethane. The other one wants to sand the brick and then seal with polyurethane.
Any ideas? Thanks.
I wanted to refinish my brick floors and I am not sure if the original product was water-based or oil-based.
My thoughts were to rent an industrial buffer and clean the high-traffic areas and then finish it with something… Please advise.
I moved into a house with brick floors and mopped them. Apparently that was a big mistake. Now the floor looks like I took off half of the finish. It has white cloudy spots. The mop bucket actually left a white ring. What do I do?
Lyn,
That sounds like it could be efflorescence. See the response I gave to another commenter on the article How to Clean, Seal and Polish a Brick floor that is about efflorescence. There is a full description of what it is and how to remove it.
I have a new house that has St. Louis bricks on the kitchen and dining room floors. Have been in the house a year. Love my floors, but seem to have a lot of dust when I sweep. Any suggestions on how to cut down on the dust?
Patsy,
If your house recently (within the last few years) had any construction work, it could be construction dust. If so, this is the article that you need: Removing Interior Construction Dust. If not, this article might help: How to Remove Dust from the Air.
I recently put up a brick wall and floor. I need to no how to clean the bricks in order to seal them.
I have an interior brick floor with a polyurethane finish that is worn in the center. What is the best way to remove it to the natural brick? Thank you.
Doing interior brick floor, lots of polyurethane buildup. Is there a machine I can use to scrub the floor?
Great advice, for those trying this, do not skip the last paragraph on moisture, as so many customers make this mistake.
Use 5 coats of cheap polyurethane after cleaning with a steamer and wet vac.