Can I remove Limewash?
Virtually any coating can be removed from virtually any surface. See our Product Finder. Notable exceptions are limewash and cement based paints (e.g. “Snowcem”). Limewash (not to be confused with whitewash) is, once cured, a thin layer of limestone. Like cement mortars, it can be very slowly dissolved with an acidic cleaner like Aciclean but the process is extremely time-consuming, as the product has to be continually re-applied. Removal is therefore only practicable if the limewash is very thin. There is no straightforward solution, as any form of air-abrasive (blasting) or mechanical system will be destructive to the substrate.
On brickwork, try Aciclean liberally applied, brushed over every two or three minutes and pressure-washed off every fifteen minutes. Wet the surface thoroughly before you start, to minimize the penetration of the product into the brickwork. If you use the pressure washer to do this, it will blow off any loose areas of limewash at the same time. Where limewash is revealed after removing an overlaying paint layer, the options are generally:
If the limewash layer is thin and patchy, consider attempting removal by the method described above.
Leave it to weather away naturally.
Apply limewash or lime paint over the top. These are very vapour-permeable finishes which will not inhibit the essential breathing characteristics of solid wall buildings. For more information regarding limewash and other lime products visit anglialime.com.
