Facade cleaning: when to choose which cleaner?
Due to the ravages of time and unwanted products such as graffiti, the facade of a home or business premises may be in need of a thorough cleaning. A facade can be cleaned in different ways. It is always important to properly inspect the surface and to correctly determine the degree of contamination. This way the right treatment can be performed without serious damage.
Possible cleaning methods
A simple way to clean a facade is with water. This can be done with a steam cleaner or a pressure washer. This can often be used to remove green or black deposits.
A more aggressive method of cleaning a facade is through blasting. With this method, there are several factors that determine the degree of cleaning and also the risk of damage, namely the pressure, the distance of the nozzle to the wall, the type of abrasive ... Whether wet or dry, with sand, soda, cotton fibers, ice or any other abrasive, the risk of damage is real. A professional approach is therefore of great importance.
If the simple cleaning with water does not suffice, one can also use chemical products. Depending on the type of pollution and the surface, an acid, an alkaline product or a moss killer can be used. When working with chemical products, all safety instructions must be observed. A distinction is often made in chemical products on the basis of the pH value. A pH value between 0 and 6 indicates an acidic facade cleaner, a pH value between 8 and 14 indicates an alkaline or basic facade cleaner. Below you can read about when to choose which type of cleaner.
Acidic facade cleaning products
For heavy soiling on brick, concrete and cementations, an acidic facade cleaner can be used. However, for limestone and sandstone, it is not recommended to work with acidic facade cleaners.
At Reynchemie, we have different types of acid facade cleaning products, each with their specific properties:
- RC Facade P - pH less than 1 - Ready-to-use, thixotropic facade cleaner. Dissolves surface contamination gently, yet extremely effectively on brick, architectural concrete and other porous, acid-resistant substrates.
- RC Cement clean 2 - pH 2 - An effective acid-based liquid mixture specially designed for severe cases of cement deposits or dry cement stains. Its proven advantage is that it immediately penetrates the cement and dissolves it completely, resulting in thorough cleaning.
- RC Brick clean - pH 3 - Slightly acidic, ready-to-use, thixotropic and biodegradable facade cleaner based on ammonium bifluoride. Gently yet extremely effectively dissolves surface soiling.
Alkali Skin Cleaning Products
In addition to acids, alkaline facade cleaning products can also be used. Alkali can be used perfectly for soiled limestone surfaces and natural stone.
- RC Alkalit 502 - pH 8.5 - This cleaning product is an environmentally friendly cleaner for mineral substrates, specially designed to remove atmospheric contaminants. Not aggressive to the substrate, the environment and the user. Does not affect the skin of the limestone so that the original patina color is preserved.
Universal cleaning product and moss killer
Universal cleaning product(RC OS2) and/or moss killers(RC Kilgreen) have a powerful, intensive action. They can be used on all types of surfaces, e.g. brick, wood, roofs, facades, etc. This type of cleaning product removes light soiling of atmospheric origin such as green deposits, moss, etc.
At Reynchemie, 2 types are produced:
RC OS2 - This product is a universal cleaning product for intensive cleaning of all types of exterior surfaces. It removes all dirt and deposits of atmospheric origin. After application, the product does its job. Without scrubbing or the use of a high-pressure cleaner, the result is already noticeable after a few days (only with light pollution).
RC Kilgreen - This is a powerful and ready to use cleaner for the control of mosses, lichens, algae and fungi on all exterior surfaces. The unique composition of this product has a self-cleaning and lasting effect deep into the pores of the substrate so the moss infestation is fought longer.
Removal of graffiti
Graffiti is one of the most persistent façade dirt. It is disfiguring and often prompts more messy work. To remove graffiti efficiently, the type of paint must first be determined and the substrate. Graffiti removal is ideally done within 24 hours. After removing the graffiti, it is also advisable to apply an anti-graffiti coating, e.g. RC 810 AG (permanent) or RC Wax (semi-permanent)
To remove graffiti on a non-protected surface, one should always consult a professional.
Dangers of cleaning a facade
Cleaning can damage the facade mechanically or chemically causing sanding, powdering, flaking and crumbling. Masonry and many types of natural stone are often more porous after cleaning due to the removal or deterioration of the skin of the brick, so the wall absorbs more water and there is a risk of frost damage and faster and deeper soiling of the wall.
Protecting the cleaned facade
After cleaning it is recommended to protect the facade from new dirt and moisture. This can be done immediately with hydrofuge or a facade impregnating agent. A hydrofuge makes a facade water repellent without changing the water vapor diffusion resistance. Read more about hydrofuge in this article.
Our technical advisors are also always available to provide you with word and deed via telephone advice or possibly a site visit. Contact your regional advisor here .
