How to Clean Vinyl Siding

When it comes to investing in the home exterior, vinyl siding is one of the top choices for homeowners. With good yearly routine care and cleaning, you could extend your home siding for up to 50 years. Cleaning siding removes dirt and mildew, which are the main corporate of shortening the life of your home siding. Many homeowners live under the impression that a pressure washer will do the work when, in fact, it is not as effective than washing by hand.

Inspecting Siding for Damage

Like most projects, you want to make sure there are no holes or gaps in-between siding especially caulk from windows or doors that have cracked due to age. If this is the case, reapply exterior caulk during a dry day for maxim adhesion. If your vinyl needs repair, it is wise to hire a professional siding contractor to have this replaced. Once this is taken care of, you are ready to start cleaning your siding.

Helpful cleaning product solutions to clean your home siding properly

• A simple vinyl siding cleaner solution include 70% water and 30% vinegar makes a great all-purpose cleaner that removes light mold and mildew stains.
• For a more robust solution on tougher stains, mix 1/3 cup of laundry detergent (powdered), 2/3 cup household cleaner (powdered), 1/4 laundry bleach, and one gallon of water.
• If you have landscape surrounding your house, use the vinyl siding cleaner solution (gallon amount) mix with 1 cup of oxygen bleach in a bucket. This will help clean the vinyl without damaging your landscape.
• Simple Green cleaning product is excellent for removing dirt and stains from mold, mildew, moss, algae, and more from vinyl siding. It is environmentally friendly that uses peroxide to brighten and renew surfaces without using bleach.

Can I use a pressure washer to clean my vinyl siding?

The answer is YES. However, if misused can cause damages to your home and vinyl siding. We have encountered many issues of improper use made by homeowners, which has cost them more than they had anticipated; cracked windows, water-filled in the walls, removed paint are a few to point out. So, if you are not experienced in using a pressure washer it is best to leave it to the professionals.

There you have it; a clean house will protect your investment. Some real estate experts say a good curb appeal can potentially add another 5-10% to your property. While it may require you to rent out a day to work on your house, the results will pay off!