Removing Heavy Efflorescence for BIG MONEY, Safely, With EffBOMB
We booked our latest training session for installing Trident sand and sealers in Toronto sight unseen, and it turned out that not only were the attendee’s getting a high level course on paver restoration but a university level education on removing heavy salt deposits from these pavers. Scroll back to the top to see the before and after, that picture is from August 18th 2024, no its not snow, that’s ALL efflorescence and its some of the worst I’ve seen in my 20 years doing working in the field.
How Can You Identify That as Efflorescence?
The light, fluffy, snow like texture in the middle of summer tells me that it’s
A. Concrete or stone, and
B. has poor drainage as the salt and free chloride inside the bricks have been dissolved and come to the surface.
The light snow like fluffy efflorescence is the type which is freshly formed, and made of sodium bicarbonate, it’s easily removed with even light mixes of EffBOMB.
Another form of efflorescence is the hard, yellowish, scaled texture buildup often seen on stone and brick walls. This is efflorescence which has not been removed for some time, and been allowed to chemically change as its exposed to more moisture and oxygen; this type of efflorescence has become calcium carbonate which is the same chemically as egg shells. This type is harder to remove, and will require at minimum a much stronger mix of EffBOMB and likely some mechanical intervention the longer it sits.
What’s The Easiest Way to Remove Efflorescence?
Efflorescence is most easily removed when its fresh, as a homeowner you should be dilligent to remove it or have it removed as soon as its noticed as that will be the fastest, easiest, and least expensive time to do it.
For contractors, making sure you keep up with your customers, door knocking houses you see with fresh fluffy eff, and knowing how to spot the beginnings of efflorescence while cleaning other portions of the property are going to be the best for removal.
Removing fresh snow or powdered sugar looking salts on the surface is very easy, downstream EffBOMB through your high quality 10:1 injector on a pressure washer all over the effected area, let sit for 5-10 mins while keeping area wet, and then washing away thoroughly with clean fresh water will do the trick.
Removing scaly hard white stains is harder to do quickly, but can be done.
Step 1 pre treat the effected area with 50-75% EffBOMB out of a quality pump up sprayer.
Step 2 allow to dwell at least 5 minutes, then treat again and sit another 5 minutes
Step 3 scrape with a metal paint scraper, stiff nylon brush, nylagrit power brushes, or attack with a pneumatic needle scaler.
Step 4 treat again with EffBOMB from pump sprayer
Step 5 after another 5 min dwell, wash thoroughly with a turbo nozzle on a pressure washer
If deposits remain, repeat all steps until area is completely cleared
How to Stop Efflorescence from Coming Back?
The only answer is block the water pathway; this will include a combination of repairing any joints, cracks, or holes in the walls or floors being effected, and then following up with a high quality sealer like AquaBlocka or StainProof.
As long as water is continued to be allowed to enter the back side and bedding materials, as well as saturate the stone or concrete surface itself, you will continue to have efflorescence and white stain issues. The only solution to stop it is to stop the water from dissolving the salts and chlorides. Removing efflorescence one time is not a solution for the issue, the efflorescence will return if the root cause is not fixed, and this is 100% of the time.
What Can I Charge for Efflorescence Removal?
This data will change slightly across the country, as pressure washing pricing across Canada can vary greatly, but we’ll give out some info about going rates for the Greater Vancouver area, Toronto and Montreal will be similar, with the prairies and east cost being typically less expensive on average.
Light / New Eff removal: $0.65 a foot, minimum $250 charge, free if applying sealer to the area
Hard / Scaly Eff removal: $1.75+ a foot, $500 minimum, Sealer and repairs extra but some people do offer a discount if you seal after removal.
Want to Learn More About Stone and Concrete Care?
Come to a free live training event with StoneSealer Canada and Trident Protects anywhere across Canada, we tour across country to teach contractors for free every single year. Click here to sign up today.
Can’t come to a training event? No problem, this blog is nothing but stone care and sealing education for pressure washers and sealing contractors. You can also check out our YouTube channel for more visual learning resources, as well as Tridents free online training courses are available any time at the Trident T3 University.
