It's a grind

Of course my efflorescence that I have is primarily Calcite. I've tried TSP ( both fake and real ) and a couple different types of acid, but with all the bushing nothing would remove it effectively. Also the calcite would stay and the cinderblock would be eaten away or marked by the wire brush. I didn't want to do it but I ended up using my trusty 4.5 inch grinder with a wire cup and wheel to grind off the calcite. I put a fan in the window to blow the dust outside and prevent the dist from filtering into the rest of the house. I thought it would take me a couple of hours. Only about 30 blocks needed to be cleaned.

6 hours later I had completed the job and I cleaned up the dust. I put plastic over everything, floor to ceiling. I removed the ceiling plastic first which of course showered more dust down on me. I got smart and sprayed water from the pump sprayer to knock down the dust on the rest of the plastic and rolled it up into the trash. Pretty minimal dust (compared to last time ) I'll be giving the walls a good washing tomorrow and be putting on the first coat of the Xypex hd-150. Well see...