HELP - removing ivy from brickwork

[Munks 10]

Ideas needed please, we've just removed ivy growing on an external brick wall. it's left a pattern of it's 'suckers' (dont know the proper term) all over the wall. any ideas for removal?

thanks:confused:

[torin8 10]

I guess my first question is - how good are the bricks / mortar in the wall? If it's old bricks / mortar then I'd leave the weather to bring them off - otherwise you might do some damage.

[Munks 10]

its pretty old - it's the wall that separates our yard from next door. is this advice from experience??

[torin8 10]

Yes it's from experience. The crumblier the mortar the more damage you will do. Still it being a garden wall I wouldn't worry too much - worse thing you'll have to do is re-point a little which is dead easy.

 

You could with go for a scraper to bring them off or try a pressure washer first. Or just let time take them off and in the meantime grow a clematis (montana) up it to hide it!

[Don_Kiddick 11]

Only a guess but would bleach in hot water help nature brake it down quicker?

 

I just found this refernece to paint stripper of all things Clicky link

It says

How can I remove those marks the anchor roots leave on the brickwork ?"

 

Laura from New Orleans used paint stripper: I once had an ivy growing on my house: I thought it was beautiful, but it proved to be a catastrophe. My house was stucco and I had the hardest time getting the roots out of the wall.. It was horrible. I tried weed killer, chisels, everything imaginable. Finally, I used paint remover and it did the trick, because the roots are embedded in the paint. It worked and I hope maybe these thoughts might help you.

 

Sarah added: Let the remains dry off and go brown, and then use a wire brush to take the remains off - not recommended for flaky paint / plaster / pointing / soft bricks!