Salt Neutralisers

[thebadger7]

Hi all

Anyone had any joy with salt neutralisers? e.g. https://www.permagard.co.uk/salt-neutraliser-5-litre

Got salts in attic room chimney breasts that show as large damp patches in high humidity (99% sure it's salts, had loads of roof and chimney work done to no effect, and would show on a dry day if you steam the room).

It's a 3 year old lime based plaster, with earthborn paint. No bubbling, it all dries out fine in summer. Feel like little to lose with trying a neutraliser, before the nuclear option of ripping all the new plaster off and doing something with the bricks.

Cheers

 

[Cubist]

Nothing ventured nothing gained. For £50-75 and a hours work more than worth a try unless someone can point to potential damage caused by the neutraliser itself?

 

[thebadger7]

My only concern was that it might form a seal in the plaster, and therefore prevent the lime doing its job

 

[stuart45]

A plasterer told me years ago that salt neutralizer consists of acetic acid, H2O, and a chemical to break down surface tension.
So basically you can make your own with vinegar, water and fairy liquid(if you've any to spare after squirting into the mortar mix).

 

[Cubist]

A plasterer told me years ago that salt neutralizer consists of acetic acid, H2O, and a chemical to break down surface tension.
So basically you can make your own with vinegar, water and fairy liquid(if you've any to spare after squirting into the mortar mix).

Coo, yet another use for that concoction.

Around here it's used to clean car and window glass, painted and varnished woodwork and grubby polished metals. Its also a very, very effective weedkiller.

My apologies @stuart45 on re-reading my last here I now see it could be read as an uncomplimentary, negatively intended response. It was not. My intent was and remains that I am genuinely amazed at the range of uses to which this potion is put and, how effective it has been in my personal experience.

 

[montyjohn]

My guess is it won't work. The source of the salt is the underlying brick, and you'll only treat the plaster. So it will just come back assuming it works int he first place.
I don't know how strong the acid is, but it may be strong enough to damage the alkaline lime meaning you'll want to strip it after anyway.

As Cubist says, it's worth a try, but you need to be comfortable that it might attack your lime plaster. Maybe try a test patch somewhere first.

 

[Lacan07]

My only concern was that it might form a seal in the plaster, and therefore prevent the lime doing its job

Not really an issue up there though if, as you say, the roof, etc is sound.

I have a similar problem here on my ceiling where there was an old leak.