Brick Washing in Tallahassee: How to Clean and Maintain Brick Exteriors the Right Way

Brick is one of the most durable and visually appealing exterior materials a home can have — but in Tallahassee’s humid, heavily-wooded environment, it doesn’t stay clean on its own. Between the red clay soil that runs off onto foundation brick during heavy rain, the algae and mildew that colonize north-facing and shaded sections year-round, and the iron-based tannin staining from oak leaf decomposition, brick exteriors in neighborhoods like Killearn Estates, Betton Hills, and Midtown can look dramatically worse than they should within one to two seasons of neglect. This guide covers what professional brick cleaning involves, what techniques and pressures are appropriate, and why brick responds differently than concrete or siding.

Why Brick Requires a Different Approach

Brick is porous. Unlike sealed concrete or painted wood siding, brick absorbs moisture and retains it — which is why algae and mildew establish so readily on brick surfaces in Tallahassee’s climate. The mortar joints between bricks are even more porous than the brick face itself, and they’re particularly vulnerable to both biological growth and physical damage from inappropriate cleaning techniques.

High-pressure washing at full concrete-cleaning PSI (3,000–4,000 PSI) can damage brick mortar, particularly on older homes where mortar has softened with age. It can also drive water deep into the wall cavity, causing moisture problems that don’t present until mold develops or efflorescence (white mineral salt deposits) blooms on the brick face weeks later. The goal with brick cleaning is sufficient mechanical force to remove surface contamination combined with chemistry that does the biological killing — not maximum PSI.

Appropriate PSI for Brick Washing

Professional crews cleaning brick in Tallahassee typically use 1,500–2,500 PSI with a 25° or 40° nozzle tip, maintaining an 8–12 inch standoff distance from the brick face. This is significantly lower than the 3,000–3,500 PSI used for concrete driveways. For brick with older or softer mortar — common in pre-1980s Tallahassee homes in Midtown, Waverly Hills, and older Bradfordville developments — 1,200–1,800 PSI is the safer ceiling, with close attention to mortar condition throughout the job.

A surface cleaner — the spinning disc attachment used for flat concrete work — is NOT appropriate for brick. Surface cleaners concentrate pressure in a rotating pattern that’s too aggressive for the irregular brick face and mortar joints. Wand technique with a fan tip, working systematically across sections, allows the operator to control pressure and angle to protect mortar while cleaning the brick face effectively.

Chemical Pre-Treatment: The Real Cleaning Power

Most of the biological cleaning on brick comes from chemistry, not PSI. A sodium hypochlorite solution at 0.5–1.5% concentration — applied at low pressure through a downstream injector before the pressure washing pass — kills algae, mildew, lichen, and moss colonies that have established in the brick’s pores. Dwell time of 10–15 minutes allows the solution to penetrate and kill at the root, so the pressure washing pass removes dead growth rather than scraping live growth that will re-establish quickly.

For tannin staining — the orange-brown discoloration caused by iron compounds from oak and pine debris decomposing against brick in Tallahassee’s wet seasons — an acid-based cleaner (typically a diluted muriatic or oxalic acid solution) is more effective than bleach. Acid cleaners react with iron oxide compounds and lift the staining that alkaline cleaners leave behind. This two-step approach — alkaline/bleach pre-treatment for biological growth, followed by acid treatment for tannin and iron staining — produces significantly better results on North Florida brick than a single-chemical approach.

Efflorescence — white chalky salt deposits that appear when water moves through brick and evaporates at the surface — requires acid treatment specifically. A masonry acid cleaner (10–20% muriatic acid solution, carefully applied with appropriate PPE) dissolves the mineral deposits that pressure washing alone will not remove. Efflorescence treatment should be done by experienced applicators familiar with appropriate concentrations, neutralization procedures, and rinse requirements.

Brick-Specific Concerns in Tallahassee’s Climate

North Florida’s clay-heavy soil creates specific challenges for brick foundations and lower courses. During heavy rain events — which Tallahassee sees frequently during its May–September wet season — red clay washes against foundation brick and stains the lower 12–24 inches with iron-rich sediment. This staining is similar to tannin staining in that it requires chemical treatment (acid wash) rather than pure mechanical force to resolve.

Homes in Killearn Lakes, Southwood, and Crawfordville with exposed brick foundations, brick columns, or brick retaining walls near grade often need more frequent attention to lower courses than upper sections of the wall. Annual or semi-annual cleaning of foundation brick in these neighborhoods is typically necessary to prevent the staining from embedding too deeply over wet seasons.

Lichen — the gray, flat, crusty growth that appears on brick, particularly on shaded north-facing walls and under eave overhangs — is one of the most stubborn biological contaminants on brick. Lichen attaches aggressively to masonry surfaces and can take weeks to fully die and release after treatment. A sodium hypochlorite application at 1.5–2.0% kills lichen at the root, but the visual result may take 2–4 weeks to fully manifest as the killed lichen bleaches white, then weathers off the brick face through rain and sun exposure. Professional crews familiar with lichen on Tallahassee brick set appropriate expectations rather than promising instant results on heavy lichen coverage.

Sealing Brick After Cleaning

Sealing brick after professional cleaning is an option worth considering in Tallahassee’s climate, with important caveats. A quality penetrating masonry sealer reduces the brick’s water absorption rate, which slows the re-establishment of biological growth in the brick’s pores and reduces the frequency of cleaning needed. For brick retaining walls, brick pavers, and brick patios exposed to heavy clay soil runoff, sealing makes a meaningful difference in long-term maintenance.

However, exterior house brick should be sealed with a breathable penetrating sealer — not a film-forming sealer — to allow moisture vapor to escape through the wall from interior to exterior. Film-forming sealers on house brick can trap moisture within the wall assembly and cause significant structural damage over time. Any masonry sealer applied to house brick should specify “breathable” or “vapor-permeable” — silane/siloxane-based penetrating sealers are the standard for exterior masonry in humid climates like Tallahassee’s.

Brick Patios and Hardscape: Different Standards Apply

Brick pavers — the individually laid units used for driveways, patios, and walkways — are typically cleaned at the same PSI as concrete (2,500–3,500 PSI) because they sit at grade and are designed to handle surface traffic and direct water. The concern with brick pavers is the polymeric sand in the joints: high-pressure wand technique can blow joint sand out, requiring re-sanding after cleaning. Surface cleaners work well on brick pavers for this reason — the enclosed spinning pattern is more controlled than wand swinging and is less likely to disturb joint sand if the operator maintains consistent height and speed.

Work with a Crew That Knows Masonry

Brick washing done wrong — too much pressure, wrong chemicals, no dwell time — produces results that look acceptable immediately and cause damage that reveals itself over the following months: eroding mortar, returning biological growth faster than before, efflorescence triggered by improper rinsing. The combination of moderate pressure, appropriate chemistry, and experience with North Florida masonry conditions is what produces a clean that holds and a brick surface that’s better maintained, not damaged.

Around the Bend Pressure Washing serves Tallahassee and surrounding areas including Bradfordville, Killearn Estates, Killearn Lakes, Southwood, Midtown, Waverly Hills, Ox Bottom, Crawfordville, Woodville, Quincy, and Midway. If your home’s brick needs cleaning — foundation courses, exterior walls, chimney, brick columns, or hardscape pavers — call 850-888-2105. We’ll assess the surface conditions and apply the right approach for your specific brick type, staining, and growth situation.