Cleaning Vinyl Siding
Cleaning the vinyl siding on your house is a task that should be completed once or twice a year. It typically only requires a few hours of your day to complete. It can be simply cleaned with just the garden house and maybe a brush to scrub off some stubborn dirt. If you put off cleaning your siding year after year, it may eventually stain. Keeping your siding looking like new may be easier than you think.
How can I tell if I need to clean my siding?
Real simple, does your siding look dirty? If so, then its time to clean it. If it doesn’t look dirty, then go up to it and inspect for dirt and grime that you may not be able to see from a distance. Your siding typically gets the dirtiest towards ground level because rain can splash back up onto it. Other areas that might get dirty are sides of your house that are subject to high winds or near large bushes and trees.
How do I clean my vinyl siding?
Most commonly the easiest way to clean your siding is with a garden hose and a telescoping brush. First make sure all of our windows and doors are closed before washing your siding. Next make sure any landscaping items that you don’t want damaged are moved out of the way to give yourself plenty of room to work. Then just spray down a section of the siding, scrub, then rinse! It’s best to work from the top to bottom. If you encounter stubborn dirt, it may require some glass cleaner or multi-surface cleaner. Vinegar is also a nice alternative as it is not harmful to the siding. You do not want to use any harsh chemicals on the siding because it can damage and discolor the siding. Then you would be replacing siding instead of just washing it! Make sure you work in only small sections at a time. This allows you to keep track of what you have cleaned, and prevents dirt from re-drying back onto the siding. Thoroughly rinsing the washed sections is key.
Can I power wash my vinyl siding?
Absolutely you can power wash your vinyl siding. In fact, this seems to do the best job. There are some things to keep in mind when power washing your vinyl siding though. Use the broadest nozzle tip you can to prevent “etching” in the vinyl. Keep the wand a safe enough distance away from the siding to prevent damage. Try not to power wash aiming the wand up vertically against the siding as water can sneak back behind the siding. This may cause some water leaks in your house that you do not need. Working your way from the top to the bottom, aiming the wand downwards, is the best technique when power washing siding.
Can I use chemicals to clean my siding?
The only “chemicals” we recommend using on your siding are traditional glass cleaners, multi-surface cleaners, vinegar, laundry detergent, and bleach. Mix about 1/3 cup of laundry detergent with 32 ounces of bleach in with 1 gallon of water to tackle the dirtiest of your siding. Be sure to rinse the areas you are working on immediately to prevent further staining. Remember the more chemicals you use, the more of a chance you have of damaging your siding. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!
For any additonal comments or questions, please call Classic Gutter Co. at (708) 450-9666, your complete home improvement specialists.