How can efflorescence be removed?

Once the salts are introduced into the pavement system, the only way to remove the efflorescence is to get rid of the salts. For this reason, to develop a plan, you must first determine the source of the salts and eliminate them if possible. Once the salts are gone, the efflorescence will stop with time as nature cleanses your pavement. The amount of time it takes is directly proportional to the amount of salt in the pavement. While the efflorescence you see can easily be washed away with clear water and a brush, any remaining salt in the pavement will resurface after the next rain. 

Salts introduced after the pavement is installed, such as winter time deicing products, will typically be washed away naturally and rather quickly, perhaps after a few good spring time rainfalls. If large quantities of salt were introduced by the base material, however, it could be a few seasons before it is all cleansed away naturally. Understandably, this may not be acceptable. If this is your situation, we would suggest Euclid Chemical's Weatherguard sealer. A siloxane based sealer, this product acts as a total barrier to salts. If your salts are in the base material, this product traps the salt below the surface, preventing their appearance on the surface of the clay pavers. Because the salts do not affect the pavers physically, this is a highly effective remedy. Another advantage is that application of this product will prevent salts from deicer products from soaking down into the pavement, thus making the natural cleaning process in the spring time go much faster.