There is no better way to keep your home clean and sparkling than to keep a regular routine of house cleaning in Universal City to your daily routine, both for the indoor and outdoor areas of the house. Most of the time we focus on what’s inside the house, not realizing that the exterior of the house also conveys much information about the person who owns it. Thus, keeping our outdoor flooring clean and presentable over time is essential, so let’s talk about one of the most used materials for outdoor flooring.
A brick paver is a strong material that is perfect for building a patio, garden path, driveway, or even a pool surround because of its durability. In spite of this, without maintenance, bricks begin to look worn and dirty, even becoming loose and uneven, in some cases. One of the best ways to maintain the appearance of brick pavers is for a house owner or housekeeper to sweep them frequently. However, pavers can get dirty with muddy shoes, windblown dirt, food spills, and standing water, and these require a bit more effort in order to clean up.
The following steps will help you or your housekeeper to take care of brick pavers when doing the usual house cleaning in Universal City so that they maintain their crisp lines and natural color for as long as possible.
Pre-cleaning Guide
The following cleaning methods are only applicable to unpainted clay brick pavers. It is best to follow the directions and use the right cleaner for those surfaces since some cleaners and scrubbing tools can damage the paint. Similarly, concrete brick pavers can be treated like clay brick pavers, but make sure the products you use are approved for use on cement and concrete pavers. You should be able to find cleaning solutions at a home improvement store that sells such products.
How To Clean Brick Pavers
For an easier cleaning process, Universal City maid services recommend that you should prepare tools and cleaners such as a stiff-bristle scrub brush, broom, garden hose, cleaning solution, gloves, handheld sprayer or bucket and sponge, tarps, and low-power pressure washer, and additional mortar or sand for joints.
Check The Weather First
The Brick Industry Association (BIA) recommends using a solution to remove paver grime when the temperature is above 50 degrees and stays above freezing for a week. Expert housekeeping services providers also recommend avoiding cleaning in high temperatures to avoid drying out water and cleaning solutions. In many cases, cleaning solutions that dry on the brick result in residue that needs to be scrubbed away again.
Clear The Area
Now is a good time to fix damaged bricks, uneven pavers, or worn-away mortar. Make sure that planters, furniture, and other items are not blocking access to pavers. Get rid of moss growth and weeds growing between pavers. When uprooting big weeds or using sharp weeding tools, be careful not to damage bricks or joints. You should fully expose the brick to clean it evenly, which may require trimming back encroaching landscaping. To protect nearby landscaping from overspray and cleaning solutions, cover it with a plastic sheet.
Clean With The Right Solution
Identify cleaning solutions based on what you want to accomplish, whether it’s a thorough cleaning or a spot-treating. The most common cleaning solution for brick is water and mild dish soap. It won’t damage brick and it is effective at removing stains. Surfaces can also be cleaned with hot water and detergent.
In order to maintain your brick paver, you should check with the brick manufacturer since cleaning methods vary depending on the type of material, how it was installed, and what needs to be cleaned. However, a basic guide for brick types and cleaning methods can still be found on the internet if the information is not available on its packaging.
At the same time, in the absence of water and dish soap during your house cleaning in Universal City, you may also use white vinegar and water, another common household cleaner. Brick pavers that have developed a greenish or blackish hue from moss and lichen, damp shady environments, or water runoff may also benefit from bleach and water or commercially available biocide treatments.
Several commercial cleaners are also available at home improvement retailers. Be sure to look for products that indicate if they work for brick or masonry, but you can also look for cleaners that target specific strains. Keep harsh, acidic cleaners away if you don’t need them, as they may not be appropriate for pavements containing joint sand stabilizers or polymeric sand-filled joints. If you’re unsure of what you’re trying to remove, start with the least harsh cleaner first, like detergent and water. Then, as you become more proficient, you will be able to come up with more powerful solutions. You may also make sure that the chosen cleaner fits with the brick pavers by testing the cleaning solution in an inconspicuous area before moving forward with the rest of the pavers.
Prepare The Brick Pavers By Wetting Them
Most brick cleaners require you to coat the area with water before applying them because when the brickwork is saturated before cleaning, the cleaning solution stays on the surface rather than being absorbed by the masonry. By preventing absorption, the cleaner stays on the surface to break down grime, as well as prevent residue from setting into bricks.
In most cases, the cleaner needs to sit on brick for a few minutes to loosen dirt and hard residue like food particles. However, if you have mildew or mold that is particularly dense or hard to remove, follow the directions on the package for commercial products and give something like vinegar a little time to do its work. Once you have scrubbed the surface with a stiff-bristle brush, you should be able to dislodge and remove the grime, being careful not to brush away the sand between the pavers, which should be left in place. It is advisable not to use steel brushes on bricks because they can scratch the surface of the bricks.
Don’t get discouraged if you have to go through the process more than once to revive especially dingy pavers that have caught mildew or lichen; don’t give up if you have to take several attempts to clean them. But when it really becomes too much, you can call professional house cleaning in Universal City providers like Maggy Maid, the leading housekeeping services in Los Angeles to help you out and make things easier for you.
