Cleaning of masonry surfaces of cultural interest

The contribution deals with the architectural heritage which, also not presenting monumental characteristics, bears witness of the history of each country where the building is sited. This heritage, consisting in what Roberto Pane used to define as “architecture without architects,” during the last years has partially undergone ordinary maintenance works – often promoted by specific laws allowing the partial tax deduction of expenses incurred for interventions. The prevalence of economic assessments on conservative instances has determined and still determines the choice of intervention methods and techniques often not respectful enough of the buildings’ materials. This contribution intends to investigate, through portable quick-to-use instrumentation (such as camera, colorimeter, “peeling test,” water absorption by contact sponge), the outcomes of a cleaning operation, conducted on masonry walls of a civil building erected in Turin at the beginning of the twentieth century, assessing its impact in terms of material conservation.