Using brick acid on freshly repointed wall

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Hi, I have a question and wondered if you nice people could help me please. I repointed a wall in my garden recently and it was my first time repointing. I got all the mortar inbetween the bricks but I also got more than I would like smeared on the face of the bricks (lesson learned I need to be neater and clean up more before its set).

I've bought some brick/mortar cleaner hydrochloric acid stuff. My question is can I get away with putting it in a pump sprayer, covering the whole wall then rinse off with water and attack with a brush? Or do I need to carefully apply it to just the bricks being extremly careful not to get it on the mortar beds?

Its a single skin non retaining wall.

Thanks Groofus
 
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Use a paintbrush to apply - The results are instant (no need for soaking).
Wear gloves and goggles! Have a bucket of water to wash off any splashes from skin.

Hose down after and admire your nice clean wall..
 
I'd wait at least four weeks to allow the cement to crystalise and harden more, otherwise you risk taking the face off the joints which will then make them susceptible to weathering and erosion.

The use as weak a diluted mixture as needed to get the stains off, and dont let the acid mix dry on the face. Dampen the wall first, and then wash off thoroughly.

If you can spot treat the bricks only then that would be better, but it may not be practical depending on how bad it is.
 
Hi SpecialK and Woody,

Thank you so much for your kind advice. I will brush it on and be careful to get it just on the bricks like you suggested.

I've put a sample of my work below. I know I've got as much on the face as in the beds haha. I'm going to clean it up the best I can and paint it. I don't know what you call these sort of dints in them but the mortar seems to get nicely stuck into them when pushing it in.

Live and learn, thanks again for your help.
 

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You may be better off trying to cut as much of the mortar off as possible using a hammer and sharp bolster chisel and some steady light taps, and then use the acid on the stains.
 
Hi Woody, thank you for the tips, I will try with a hammer and bolster first as you suggest.
 

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