Is your home’s vinyl siding looking dull or dingy? Constant exposure to the elements lets all kinds of dirt and grime build up on your home or garage’s siding. Some of this mess comes from dust kicked up by passing cars or lawn mowers. Pollen can accumulate on siding, and you’re likely to find bird droppings, spider webs and more. If the home sits in the shade or if you live in a humid area, then mold and mildew can leave their mark. Even fertilizers used on the beds surrounding your home or color leaching from caulk and paint around windows can stain vinyl siding.
Fortunately, pressure washing vinyl siding makes cleanup easy. This is a job that usually only needs to be done once or twice a year — in spring or fall when accumulated dirt and debris are at their worst. Spring is an ideal time because it gets your home looking great for summer. Though by the time fall commences — after a summer of mowing, spiders building webs and so on — you may want to clean the siding once more.
Be sure to keep the following suggestions in mind.
The Prep Work Matters
The first step is to thoroughly water gardens around your home. This is because you will likely use a chemical cleaner of some kind. Watering gardens first can dilute cleaners that soak into the soil, which will help prevent plants from getting sick. Plus, giving the plants a chance to soak up water before you use chemical cleansers makes them less likely to absorb cleansers as you clean.
You’ll also need to choose the right cleaning product. Cleanser concentrates designed specifically for pressure washing vinyl siding work best for this. Simply fill your pressure washer’s soap reservoir or siphon hose into a bucket, and you are good to go. Other common household cleansers can work, too — but avoid bleach and degreasing agents, since these can damage siding and your pressure washer.
Best Practices
For the pressure washing itself, go easy on the pressure. Avoid turbo nozzles, as these can damage siding. Instead, choose a 40-degree fan nozzle and lower the pressure to make sure you don’t harm the siding. As you clean, hold the wand, straight toward the siding, and move in a side-to-side motion. Avoid spraying upward because this can drive water beneath the siding — thus damaging insulation or whatever is beneath the siding. Make sure to go carefully around doors and windows to prevent damage.
Clean the siding a small section at a time with soapy water first, followed by a rinse with clean water. When you’re done, the siding should look good as new!
Pressure washing is the easiest, most efficient way to clean vinyl siding. It’s a job that can be accomplished in a weekend, and it should keep your home looking nice all year. If you’re planning to take this job on yourself — and it’s one any homeowner can do — then look into SIMPSON pressure washers. Quality manufacturing, plus a variety of models to suit any need, means that we have the right pressure washer for you.