Cleaning exterior brickwork

[Curryracer]

Can any of you helpful people please suggest a solution?

The top half of my house was painted some time ago (12+ years) and the paint has now stained the unpainted brickwork on the lower half.

Ideally I want to clean all of it and repaint just the top again, but what can I use to:
Clean the existing top half ready for re-painting.
Clean the bottom half back to plain bricks.

Thanks in advance

 

[katie1987]

Wire wool brush for top half to remove dirt
Removing paint from bricks could be a problem
Without damage
Maybe a pressure sprayer would surfice?
Dr dec will know he's a genius and so cute!

 

[dcdec]

Yep pressure wash with an anti fungicidal wash on the top half, don't use a wire brush or wool because anything that breaks off will rust into water based paint (come on kate, you're 'sposed to be learning!).

Not quite sure what you mean buy 'paint staining' the lower half, do you mean its chalked onto it?

 

[katie1987]

Ha sorry dec
I knew ud know z

 

[Bosswhite]

These days I always Pressure wash rendering and woodwork prior to redecorating, if the paint on the rendering is still loose after a pressure wash, a wire brush/scraper helps to shift it(never had problems with rust caused by a wire brush) .
If the brickwork is that bad below the rendering it might be worth hiring a sand blaster for a day.

 

[Curryracer]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Looks like I need to try and get outside when it gets a bit warmer!

The "paint staining" is where the paint appears to have run down the wall and is turning the wall white (worse the closer it is to the top half).

Looks like either the wrong paint or just age?

Any brand names for the anti fungicide wash?

thanks again