# How do I remove the remains of ivy feet/tendrils from brick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-remove-the-remains-of-ivy-feet-tendrils-from-brick/164044 "2003-03-25T16:25:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jadis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@Jadis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jadis)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-remove-the-remains-of-ivy-feet-tendrils-from-brick/164044/1 "2003-03-25T16:25:18Z")
The front porch of my house has brick bases supporting columns across the front. The previous owners had let a huge thatch of ivy on the side of the house get out of control, and it climbed up the brick on the corner column. I’ve pulled it all off, but now that brick column is covered with the dead feet of the ivy that are worked into the pores of the brick. I’ve tried everything I can think of to get them off (including attacking them with a wire brush), to no avail. These things are tenacious…I’m beginning to think they’re going to require a blowtorch to remove. Does anyone know if there’s a method for removing these things, or a product that I can buy that will dissolve them? I want to paint the brick, and I don’t really want to just paint over them. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-remove-the-remains-of-ivy-feet-tendrils-from-brick/164044/2 "2003-03-25T16:30:45Z")
Unless you’re going to try to pick them off individually with tweezers, I reckon you’ll have to wait until they weather and fall off (or weather enough to be brushed off) - anything harsh enough to remove them is going to risk damaging the bricks. ---
**Author:** ![Jadis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@Jadis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jadis)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-remove-the-remains-of-ivy-feet-tendrils-from-brick/164044/3 "2003-03-25T16:38:29Z")
I neglected to mention that they’ve already been through 2 winters. They’re apparently not going to weather off. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-remove-the-remains-of-ivy-feet-tendrils-from-brick/164044/4 "2003-03-25T16:57:30Z")
Do you have a grill cleaner brush? You know the metal bristle brush used to clean grills? If not buy one, they are like 5 bucks maximum. Then spray tendrils with diluted bleach solution 1 cup per gallon in warm water. Let stand for about 3 minutes… to soak in. Then brush with new metal brush and rinse with garden hose. I had to do this with our all granite porch in the back yard, it worked wonderfully. ---
**Author:** ![cybersnark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@cybersnark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cybersnark)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-remove-the-remains-of-ivy-feet-tendrils-from-brick/164044/5 "2003-03-25T17:03:28Z")
This article say burn 'em out: [http://www.s-t.com/daily/02-00/02-20-00/f05ho188.htm](http://www.s-t.com/daily/02-00/02-20-00/f05ho188.htm) ---
**Author:** ![nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f475e1/32.png) [@nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nerd)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-remove-the-remains-of-ivy-feet-tendrils-from-brick/164044/6 "2003-03-25T17:11:27Z")
Two suggestions here, one of which does recommend using a blowtorch (!): [http://www.s-t.com/daily/02-00/02-20-00/f05ho188.htm](http://www.s-t.com/daily/02-00/02-20-00/f05ho188.htm) [http://doityourself.com/garden/controlivyonwalls.htm](http://doityourself.com/garden/controlivyonwalls.htm) ---
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-remove-the-remains-of-ivy-feet-tendrils-from-brick/164044/7 "2003-03-25T18:08:45Z")
My neighbor used a (very) powerful high pressure washer to get his off - but it was on stone, not brick, so I don’t know if that would make a difference.