Your house can be spotless inside, but what about outside? Mold and dirt can form a thick layer in a house’s siding and this requires special attention to clean. Many people use a pressure washer to do the job (although they can be expensive). If you don’t have one, don’t worry! This guide will show you how to clean vinyl siding, step by step, and with useful tips.
Step 1: Wear proper clothing
Safety first! Cleaning vinyl siding can be a dirty job, and a dangerous one if you are using strong chemicals like bleach. Be sure to wear rubber gloves, long sleeve shirt, long pants, and goggles. Also, don’t mix bleach with other cleaning substances to avoid generating toxic fumes.
Tip: clean your siding on a cloudy day, because the sun can dry your siding too quickly, leaving stains behind.
Step 2: Check out for cracks
Before you start pouring water over your siding, you have to be sure there’s no fissure or missing piece of vinyl. Water can easily penetrate a damaged siding, and you don’t want that. Also, shut your windows correctly and check if its sealants are in good condition.
Step 3: Protect your plants
Waste is going to drip from your siding, a mix of dirty water, mold, and strong chemicals, and this can be very harmful to your house plants. If you have a garden bordering your house, put plastic tarps above it to protect them. If you don’t have a plastic tarp at home, try watering your plants before cleaning your siding. That way, the chemicals will not be absorbed so easily.
Tip: If the day is sunny, uncover your plants as fast as you can because the plastic can overheat them.
Step 4: Prepare your cleaning solution
You can buy in your nearby store the cleaning liquid of your preference, but you can obtain as good results from a homemade solution. Basically, you have two options:
Bleach
Mix one quart of bleach in one gallon of water. This cleaning solution will kill almost every bacteria and mold in your siding and also will whiten the discolored areas. However, using bleach can provoke toxic flumes, skin infections, and in general, it isn’t very good for the environment.
Vinegar
If you want a more mild but effective solution, vinegar it’s the way to go. Make a 30/70 white vinegar and water mixture. This alternative isn’t toxic at all and safe for the environment but can be less effective.
Step 5: Divide your siding into sections
Cleaning your siding by hand is the simplest way to go, but you have to work intelligently. Use a long-handled, soft bristle brush to reach every streak, and divide the total surface into 5×5 foot squares to keep track of your progress.
Tip: to be sure your solution isn’t damaging your house siding, try it in a small square and see how it reacts over the vinyl.
Step 6: Clean from down to up and rinse from up to down
Now to the main task. Dip your brush into your solution and start rubbing your siding gently. Let your solution make an effect, don’t try to clean too hard, or you can crack the vinyl. Clean from down to up, and when you finish, rinse with water from up to down. Try to do it as you go and avoid uneven drying and spotting.
Cleaning your home’s siding is hard work, no doubt about it. Follow these easy steps and apply our tips for great results. Or, if you want a more professional cleaning, contact us on our website.
