Finding Appropriate and Effective Cleaning Solutions for Historic Facades

Building facades bear the effects of weathering, pollution, organic matter, graffiti, and other conditions that require periodic cleaning. Particularly with historic facades, the selection of appropriate cleaning materials and systems is essential. The goal is to preserve the facade and improve its appearance, not clean at its expense.

In this webinar, WJE historic preservationists Kyle Normandin and Deborah Slaton address cleaning techniques for different types of materials and substrates encountered in historic structures, including brick and terra cotta masonry, stone, concrete, glass, and metal. They discuss how to effectively evaluate cleaning products and systems—including water, chemical, and microabrasive—and explore specific challenges encountered with facade cleaning projects, such as removing localized staining and cleaning fragile surfaces. The presentation is illustrated by a case study.

By the end of the presentation, you will be able to:

• List the types of cleaning systems available for use on building facades,
• Explain the cleaning process and how to select the most appropriate cleaning system,
• Identify the characteristics of different substrates and how they can be affected by cleaning, and 
• Describe some of the challenges encountered in facade cleaning and how cleaning problems can be solved.

more to learn

View this webinar in our interactive audience console to access related resources, submit questions to the presenters, and download a certificate of completion.