| The glaze on terra cotta is very soft but dense, and it readily resists weathering and pollution until such time it is damaged by corrosive activity. This is why it is an extremely bad idea to apply abrasives to the surface. Abrasives will open up the surface to penetration from both weather and atmospheric pollutants that will quickly cause the surface to deteriorate, and unable to be returned to its original condition. Hydrofluoric acid, which etches silica compounds such as the glazes used on terra cotta, mimics abrasive cleaning in that it roughens the surface and begins the degradation process.
Pick Your Power
Cleaning Terra Cotta is very easily accomplished with EaCo Chem's safer chemistry. GS Restoration and SafeRestore, both non-hydrofluoric, are two of the most powerful and sophisticated formulas on the market today. Each handles the task safely and simply, with the main difference between the two being the degree of care that is required for surrounding surfaces.
- SafeRestore offers complete safety on glass and anodized aluminum, with no covering required. This product is used undiluted. Will not damage glass, anodized aluminum or surrounding surfaces.
- GS Restoration is appropriate for both glazed and unglazed terra cotta and would be the better choice if cleaning very porous terra cotta tiles or if restoration cleaning was going to be done on various surfaces including porous or glazed brick. When used properly, it can be applied without covering glass. However the chemical may etch glass if allowed to dry on the glass. This product must be rinsed quickly and thoroughly from any glass surface. Test on aluminum prior to usage.
GS Restoration (GSR)
Originally designed for glazed brick and terra cotta cleaning, GSR offers the strength of HF but with a higher degree of safety, and the ability to work without covering glass when used as directed. GSR's acid blend is often more effective than HF at removing the black mineral stains that occur on glazed surfaces with almost no chance of burning. The best application method is to use the product undiluted. Apply twice, spaced several minutes apart without allowing the product to dry or rinsing in between.
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The Fairmont Hotel in downtown New Orleans presented a unique cleaning challenge. The danger of burning the surface was extreme, as the façade was terra cotta and the hotel had over 1,000 century-old hand floated windows. Also, the inner courtyard of very porous St. Joseph 's brick suffered bad atmospheric staining that would need a strong cleaner to remove. |
| Following a failed 13-panel test by a competitor's products, GSR was brought in. The product was tested and approved for use employing a double, undiluted application for the St. Joseph 's brick and a 1:1 dilution for the terra cotta. No windows were covered. |
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This presented considerable cost savings for the contractor, who not only saved time in not having to cover windows, but who realized a 35% savings in projected chemical costs with no worry about glass or chemical burn. Additionally, the job progressed smoothly during daytime hours, presenting no downtime for the hotel, and the stains were removed safely without using hydrofluoric acid.
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| The Pittsfield Building |
| The challenge of cleaning the Pittsfield Building in downtown Chicago was also immense. There were 40 stories of delicate terra cotta surface to be cleaned and thousands of windows to protect. This coupled with the famed Chicago winds meant that the potential for problems was great. |
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The contractor turned to GSR due to its safety on glass and the fact that it could be applied with a low pressure sprayer and rinsed with a garden hose. With the exception of a few heavily encrusted areas, the contractor was able to avoid using high pressure sprayers for the cleaning.
Also very significant was the fact that each of the contractor's two-man crews was able to clean 3,000 square feet of exterior surface each night with exceptional results. As part of the historic restoration process, many pieces of damaged terra cotta needed to be replaced. Yet, when the new terra cotta was placed beside the older, freshly cleaned pieces, it was virtually impossible to tell them apart.
Old Post Office and Customs House
The historic Old Post Office and Customs House in downtown St. Louis needed a good exterior cleaning as part of a multi-million dollar renovation project. The building had been cleaned several times before, which unfortunately left streaks on its grey and pink granite surface, and concerns about further damage to the surface. Pigeons had also taken up residency in the recesses of the building's façade, leaving debris in their wake, and the building was darkened from years of automobile pollution.
The contractor had tried several different chemicals before settling on GSR. He was especially pleased with the easy ‘spray-on, spray-off' application and rinse method, due to all the ornamental details where a brush would have been impossible to use. Additionally, he covered no windows during the cleaning process and said he saved money on labor costs due to the efficiency of the product.
SafeRestore
Using SafeRestore on terra cotta is a very easy proposition, and it is especially valuable if there is great concern over safety for the glass or for people. Colleges, hospitals and government facilities love the safety of SafeRestore for this very reason.
SafeRestore is best applied with a low pressure sprayer. Brushing is not necessary. One single undiluted application will remove many stains. For deep stain removal and for porous surfaces, pre-wet the surface with water. Continue with a double-undiluted application spaced several minutes apart without rinsing in between the applications. Follow with a pressure wash rinse. You will find that this method provides a very good deep clean that is still safe for all substrates except polished marble. Extended dwell time is very important when using this safe product. Do not allow product to dry on surface.
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| Paint Strippers |
Because of concerns about personal safety, we do not manufacture a methylene chloride type stripper. Instead, we offer four different types of paint removers.
- Stripper Cream,a caustic, is a thickened, multi-layer paint remover that can be sprayed, rolled or brushed on with equal ease.
- LCS, also a caustic, is a water-based stripper that offers quick penetration on already wet surfaces.
- Graf-EX ships non-hazardous and is ideal in environments where safety, low odor and performance are of equal importance.
- Stripsol also ships non-hazardous and is virtually instantaneous in penetrating most acrylics and elastomerics.
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| Removing Difficult Stains |
| The procedure for removing difficult stains is to apply LCS followed by an application of GSR. This procedure of applying an alkaline-based cleaner followed by an acid-based cleaner will create chemical heat to break the stain. |
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Always Test First
Always test the product in a small, inconspicuous area before beginning the entire job. This will inform you about surface suitability, dilutions and dwell time. Allow test panel to dry thoroughly before evaluating final appearance and results.
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