1. There are two ways to remove mortar smears from masonry: You can physically remove it via mechanical means, or you can dissolve it chemically.
2. Because mortar is alkaline, it takes an acidic material to dissolve it, period. (We don't make these rules, the laws of chemistry do.)
3. If a masonry cleaner has a pH below 7, by the laws of chemistry, that product is acidic.
This is why.... we always recommend going further than a product's marketing materials and even the product data sheet when doing your research. Check the safety data sheet, where a product's pH should be listed. You may find some acidic masonry cleaners referred to as "detergent-based," which we think is kind of like calling a vodka soda a "water-based drink." It's not the water you're there for, it's the vodka. We want you to know what's in your masonry cleaners because your safety is on the line, we always tell you what you need to know, not just what you want to hear.
We always recommend starting with the mildest cleaner and dilution, and then moving up to stronger formulations as needed. Check out our mildest-to-strongest recommendations for new masonry cleaning.
Vana Trol is a good starting point because it's so versatile and effective on all kinds of substrates, including all types of brick, concrete block, stone construction, colored mortar and tile. It removes efflorescence, controls vanadium and brown manganese and rinses clean without streaking.
