How To Clean Vinyl Siding

The Best Vinyl Siding Cleaning Article!

I bet you won't find a better article online about cleaning vinyl siding!

Feel free to use the table of contents to skip to the section you are most interested in or scroll down and start learning everything there is to know about how to clean vinyl siding.

*BTW - This took us 1 week to write & we interviewed multiple professional pressure washers!

Are You Using A Pressure Washer?

If yes, you will need the following supplies

1. A pressure washer
2. A low pressure nozzle
3. The correct cleaning solution
4. Water

*Yes you can use a power washer. The Vinyl Siding Institute of America recommends it.

Are You Washing By Hand?

If yes, you will need the following supplies

1. A Brush With Tough Bristles
2. A Bucket
3. A Ladder
4. A Hose
5. Water
6. Elbow Grease

You’ve got some choices when it comes to cleaning solutions. First, let us tell you a bit about using bleach on vinyl siding.

Bleach is used to kill mold spores. If you just use soap and water, you would need to clean your vinyl siding twice a year. It is recommended that you use one quart of bleach to every 5 gallons of cleaning solution. If you use bleach, you’ll go from cleaning your home every 6 months to cleaning every 9-12 months!

There are various solutions you can use to clean your vinyl siding. Here are some other recipes you can try.

Remember! The most effective bleach to cleaner ratio is

1 quart bleach : 5 gallons cleaner

Diy Power Washing Solutions

***Remember! These solutions are best effective when scrubbing the siding by hand. If using a pressure washer, verify on the user manual of your machine that you can use a DIY vinyl siding cleaning solution.

• ⅓ cup powdered laundry detergent
• ⅔ cup powdered household cleaner
• 1 qt liquid laundry bleach
• 1 gallon water

The recipe listed above is a powerful solution that will kill most filthy vinyl walls.

• 70% water
• 30% vinegar

The recipe above is an effective choice which is more eco friendly.

• 1 cup powdered oxygen bleach
• 5 gallons warm water

This solution is mainly used to clean vinyl siding that is plagued with algae. This solution needs to be left on the siding for 10 minutes, then you can scrub it off with a brush, then rinse it with your hose.

• Simple Dish Soap
• 5 Gallons Water
• 1 cup bleach

This is a simple solution that you can make quickly! The bleach adds more power to kill the mold spores

***You may also consider purchasing cleaner! Here are some cleaners we recommend for pressure washing. Try them out and let us know what you think!

Sontouch 659

Sontouch 659 is an industrial strength cleaner that can be used on your vinyl siding! This cleaner is versatile and can be used to clean cars, floors, and driveways! It is recommended for power washing because it doesn’t damage grasses or plants. It’s strong enough to get your home clean, yet gentle enough to be safe to use around your home.

Cleansol BC

Cleansol BC is a safe cleaner for professional contract cleaners. This product can be used for jobs including molding, siding, decks, gutters, concrete and awnings. This cleaner is best for professionals who need to remove oxidized paint from metal siding and removing black streaks from exteriors

So you’ve been putting it off for a while, right? If your vinyl siding has had mold and algae on it for 3-6 years or beyond with no attention, you might need to adjust your cleaning strategy. And no, that doesn’t mean just start pouring straight bleach on your wall.

A 1 time bleach job before you clean will do the trick and kill the mold spores, but make sure you dilute the bleach solution.

A small concentration is required to kill the mold spore, such as 1-2 cups in a 5 gallon bucket of water. That will still give you the killing power but it will be diluted enough so it doesn’t hurt the parts on the pressure washer, the siding, or the plants.

You’ll need a dilution rate that will do the job that it’s designed to do, and not kill anything else. Also, if you’ve neglected the exterior of your home, you may need this how to guide for cleaning gutters! Education is key in anything, and knowing what you’re doing will help in the long run when it comes to cleaning your home!

There is a big dispute about this topic in the industry. No doubt, common notion says that hand washing is easier on the siding, but is that really true? We’ll explain preparation and execution of both ways just to help you make the decision.

Hand Washing or Power Cleaning. Which Is Better?

In order to hand wash, you’ll need to purchase the correct brush. You’ll need to get a brush with tougher bristles so they can get every part of the siding clean. You’ll need to wet the wall, then scrub it with some elbow grease to get the stains out, let the solution sit, then rinse it off.
In order to power clean, you’ll need the proper equipment, including the proper knowledge of how much pressure to use on the type of siding you have on your home. Don’t just trust what you see on youtube. Ask the power washing experts! We’ve gotten some expert opinions from experts in the industry. See what they said below! If you’re interested in keeping algae off your roof, click here!

Check out these before and after photos of vinyl siding! We thank the professionals who have supplied these photos. If you’d like to show off your own projects, let us know!

These photos were provided by Robert with Absher Pressure Washing Located in Wake Forest North Carolina.

HINT! Before starting on the whole job, try the chemicals on a small part of your siding to see how it works.

If you’re making any type of solution to put on your vinyl siding, make sure that the solution will not harm your siding or the paint (if you’ve painted) Most solutions won’t harm the siding on your home, but just take caution. Also, if you’re going to pressure wash your vinyl siding, be sure you know what pressure to use, the angle at which to use it, and the solution that you can use in your pressure washer. The expert pressure washers know just how to do the job in a way that will not harm your walls, if you’re going to do it yourself, make sure you get advice from the experts!

*We thought this page would be useful for you too. If you are trying to remove graffiti off vinyl siding, check this article out.

Pressure Washers Direct

soncoglobalclean.com

We were impressed by the photos that Robert took of his pressure washing projects, so he let us use them! Thanks Absher Pressure Washing!