Ham wrote:
Hi,

I recently had a boundary wall replaced, and the builders were a bit
messy with the mortar, and the short driveway is looking very messy.
I was intending to get it off while it was fresh with a power jet, but
a couple of days of hard frost later and the morter is well hard. I
know from experiece that using a high-presurre with a "pulsing"?
nozzle is great at cleaning /removing but this is too vicious and
breaks up the surface of the tarred driveway.

I will eventually be replacing it but is there a quick/easy way to
remove the mortar off without affecting the softish tarred surface ?
I recall reading that dilute Hydorcloric acid eats cement - but what
would it do to tar ? ... and can this simply be washed down and
diluted flowing into the street/drains.

--
Ham

The usual thing with snots is to let them dry then knock them of, they
come off easily. If theres any residue, HCl aka brick acid removes the
remaining stain. The important thing is not to leave them, as over
several days they will harden in a big way. Freshly dry mortar is weak,
but not for long.

Tarmac is very slighty flexible, cement isnt, so if you get no other
ideas I'd try tapping them with a hammer, they may break off or break
up.


NT