Top Tips for Cleaning a House’s Exterior Siding

Top Tips for Cleaning a House’s Exterior Siding

The Importance of Cleaning House Siding

Are you looking to clean off house siding that is covered in mildew, mold, or algae? Taking the time to clean siding will not only make a house look new and fresh, but it can also prevent future issues that might be masked or caused by dirt and grime. However, the process of cleaning house siding varies depending on its constituent materials. This blog post will provide a number of tips for cleaning several common siding types.

Cleaning House Siding: Vinyl

Vinyl is strong and fairly easy to care for, making it a popular choice for house siding. There are a couple of different approaches for cleaning house siding made of vinyl: using a pressure washer or washing manually.

  • Cleaning with a Pressure Washer

Vinyl siding can be cleaned with a pressure washer, but caution must be exercised because vinyl will be damaged by extremely high pressure. The pressure washer should be used at a low setting, and you may want to do a spot test on a small area of siding just to be safe. Use the pressure washer to aim the cleaning solution straight at the siding at a perpendicular angle, then rinse with water.

  • Washing by Hand

A gentler but slower method for cleaning house siding made of vinyl is washing by hand. To wash vinyl by hand, apply your cleaning solution to the siding from bottom to top while scrubbing with a microfiber cloth or soft-bristle brush. Then rinse with water from top to bottom.

Cleaning House Siding: Wood and Fiber Cement

Next, we will discuss how to clean two other frequently used types of siding: wood and fiber cement. Cleaning house siding made of these materials requires slightly different methods than cleaning vinyl.

  • Wood Siding

While wood siding gives homes a beautiful rustic look, it is not as strong as other materials and thus demands a gentler cleaning approach. Using a pressure washer on wood may cause damage and can encourage mold growth if the water is forced up under the panels. That’s why washing by hand, using a similar method to that discussed for vinyl, is the safest bet for cleaning house siding made of wood.

  • Fiber Cement Siding

Fiber cement is a sturdy and long-lasting kind of siding. Cleaning house siding made of fiber cement with a pressure washer on a low setting is safe, but not totally necessary; fiber cement is resistant to mold and insects, so it does not require intense cleaning. Generally, it can be easily cleaned with just a soft bristle brush and detergent.

Looking for a House Cleaning Solution?

If you are interested in products that are reliable and effective at cleaning house siding, you’ve come to the right place! Tidal Washers offers several solutions that can be used on a wide variety of house siding materials. If you have any questions, you can contact us here.

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