Sacramento, CA
Brick House Washing in Sacramento, CA
Sacramento's classic brick homes (the Tudors and period revivals of East Sacramento, Land Park, and Curtis Park) need gentle washing that respects old, soft mortar. Grime Getterz cleans brick with low-pressure detergent methods, never the blasting that erodes joints and opens walls to water. Call (209) 624-6249.
Old brick is softer than it looks
The brick and mortar in a 1930s East Sacramento Tudor are not modern materials. Lime-rich mortar of that era is soft, and decades of weather make it softer. High pressure erodes mortar joints, opens paths for water, and can spall the brick face itself, permanent damage in the name of cleaning. Historic masonry across the country has been ruined this way, and it will not happen on our watch.
How we clean brick instead
Detergent does the work: a soft wash application dissolves grime and kills the algae and moss that Sacramento shade grows on north-facing brick and shaded chimneys, followed by a controlled low-pressure rinse. Organic staining lifts, the brick's natural color deepens back, and the mortar is never abraded. Efflorescence, the white mineral bloom common on older brick, gets its own appropriate treatment rather than futile blasting.
Painted brick and brick accents
Plenty of Sacramento brick is painted, and many stucco and wood homes carry brick porches, planters, and chimneys. Painted brick gets the gentlest handling of all, since pressure lifts paint from masonry easily. Brick flatwork, walks and patios, is the one place real pressure is appropriate, and even there we work to preserve sanded joints.
Questions We Actually Get
Can you pressure wash an old brick house?
You should not, and we do not. Pre-war mortar is soft and high pressure erodes it, opening the wall to water intrusion. Soft washing cleans the brick thoroughly with no wear on the joints: the only responsible method for older masonry.
What is the white powder on my brick?
Efflorescence: minerals carried to the surface by moisture moving through the masonry. It needs specific treatment, not pressure, and if it keeps returning it signals a moisture source worth finding. We treat the bloom and tell you what we see.
Will washing change the color of my brick?
Only in the good direction. Removing decades of grime and organic film deepens the original brick tones: most owners are surprised how much color the house was hiding. Nothing is bleached or altered, just cleaned.
Can you clean just my brick chimney and porch?
Yes. Brick accents on otherwise wood or stucco homes are common across Sacramento, and we clean them as part of a house wash or on their own. Every surface on the house gets the method it needs.
Ready to make it look new again?
Fast scheduling. Photo-documented results. A written quote before any work starts.