How to Clean your House Siding

Homeowners who take a keen interest in the look of their siding know how important regular maintenance is to keeping the siding looking great and increasing its lifespan. Cleaning vinyl siding is an important yearly maintenance job, just like cleaning your gutters.  With the heat, harsh winters, and all other elements, your siding is susceptible to wear and tear, resulting in a weathered, unappealing look if not properly cleaned. The accumulation of unattractive dirt, pollen, or dust considerably diminishes your home siding’s general appeal. Now that the home siding accounts for 30% of the home’s curb appeal, you can picture how damaging an ugly siding could be to the curb appeal of your home. A simple cleaning can revamp the look of your siding without the need for repainting. Here are some reliable tips on how to clean your house siding.

Cleaning your house siding

Cleaning siding can be done using a combination of three different approaches:

Using cleaning agents

The cleaning agent you choose to use on your house should be one that does not cause damage to your home siding. It should not leave any stains. It should be able to remove stains from algae, moss, mildew, and mold from wood, plastic, concrete, and aluminum surfaces. It should also be fast-acting. However, it is equally important for the cleaning agent to be able to brighten and rejuvenate the surfaces without bleaching.

A reliable cleaning agent should be able to remove dirt, grime, mold, and mildew from your home siding for the best look and longer lifespan.

Using a pressure washer

The use of a pressure washer in cleaning siding has mixed reception. Some manufacturers discourage the use of pressure washers, while others recommend use at a minimal amount of pressure. Nonetheless, if you have to clean your siding using a pressure washer, begin by making sure that the stream is at eye level and points straight at the siding. The stream should not point at an upward angle so as to avoid driving water behind the siding. Extra caution has to be taken when using pressure washers around openings such as windows, doors, and plumbing connections.

Beware of the possibility of power washers stripping paint, gouging softwoods, loosening caulk, or eroding through mortar

Hiring a professional team with a pressure washer may save you a lot of time. An experienced team of siding cleaners should be able to finish the cleaning in a day and will leave your home’s siding intact. A professional has the capacity to prevent water from penetrating at joints, seams, windows, or doors.

Removing tough stains

Tough stains are a nightmare to homeowners. This is because care has to be taken in order to remove the stain while ensuring the surface is not damaged.

Use a non-abrasive cleaner or a homemade siding cleaner of soap and water that will not cause any damage to the siding. A nonabrasive bathtub cleaner or nylon scrub pad to remove tough spots such as paint drips, tar, and ink marks.

Tough stains resulting from mold and mildew are best removed using ammonia-based cleaning agents. You can use bleaching agents, though you must pay close attention to the concentration of the solution in order to protect the siding. Rinsing should be done while the siding is still wet.

For vinyl siding, paint thinners, nail polish removers, paint removers, and chlorine-based bleaching agents are all prohibited from being used as stain-removing items. These types of cleaning agents cause damage to the wall siding.

Your siding is subject to beatings from the blazing heat in the summer, to the unforgiving snowy winters, and the howling winds filled with debris. In the long run, your siding shall need cleaning. In as much as modern siding is durable, there’s nothing you can do to stop the siding from becoming dingy especially after long exposure to the elements. Some of the tips on how to clean your house siding will help you clean all types of siding; vinyl, cedar, wood, or fiber cement.

The siding is your first line of defense. It is also a key component of your home’s curb appeal, contributing to the curb appeal by 30%. That is why taking care of the house siding is important. Cleaning the siding will help protect your home and extend the lifespan of the siding.

Looking to revamp your siding?

If you tried the three methods to clean your vinyl siding and it did not restore the brilliance and luster, consider replacing your siding.

Aspen Home Improvements is an expert installation, maintenance, and repair company with 25 years of experience working with different types of siding.

We are a certified, reputable home improvement company with thousands of siding projects in Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland,. We have built a reputation of being reliable, effective, and timebound since we believe in making promises we can keep. Contact us today to join our community of satisfied customers.