what is the white chalky substance on my exterior bricks and does anything remove it?

Answer 1

The white powder you see is efflorescence. The brick, stone, concrete block, mortar etc. contain water soluble salts that are the source of the white deposits. Soil behind retaining walls can also contain these same salts.

These trapped salts are set into motion when water enters masonry. The water dissolves the salts and carries them through the masonry towards the surface. Sunlight and wind draw the water to the surface but as the water evaporates, the salts are left behind.

The salts contained in the brick, mortar, stone, concrete block eventually exhaust themselves and the white mineral deposits simply go away. But salts within soil can persist for decades. Each time you try to wash the brick and wall surfaces to remove the salts, you actually compound the problem. The water you use simply soaks into the masonry surfaces and dissolves the salts to create more problems days later. The surfaces typically look fantastic when wet, but the white powder appears again when the surfaces dry.

Most brick companies do not warrant against this as they say it is possible in ALL BRICKS. Many believe the care taken protecting brick during construction (like covering the heads during rain until they are caped) play largely into it.

There are several products on the market for this but I recommend you go see your local brickyard. They can help.

Good luck.

Answer 2

White Powder On Brick

Answer 3

This "effluence" is composed of minerals like sodiul chloride that were used in the manufacture of the cement. Cement is very alkaline due the presence of sodium and potassium hydroxide. If the concrete or mortar was poured in the winter, sodium chloride was added to prevent freezing. The NaOH or KOH can be removed with a dilute solution of vinegar. NaCl is removed by washing with water.

Answer 4

Seeing another doctor is spot on by the other people who answered but I would also like to know if you increased your water intake does this still tend to happen, also is there any possibility that this could be dry semen? I ask because this what might be what your doctor is thinking.

Answer 5

Could be salt from the bricks, or it could be a fungus. If it's salt, then you can just wash it off. If it's a fungus, then you can get a rinse for it, ...... I hope yopu like scrubbing.