CLEANING SIDING

What is the best way to clean the vinyl siding on my house? Thanks to anyone that responds. Jim

Reply to
James R. Shivers
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1) Contact manufacturer and ask them.

2) Powerwasher. Read instructions.

3) Hose, bucket, soapy water, brush, lots of time.

How old is the siding? What is the condition - just dirty or possibly faded? The manufacturer may suggest plasticizers or wax-like coatings after the washing to restore color and sheen, or to prolong the life of the siding.

Please provide us with some more details about the condition of the siding and what you hope to achieve and we can provide many suggestion, and a few of the suggestions may even be useful. I clean my siding with a garden hose about 3 or 4 times a year, but my requirements are probably extremely different from yours.

Good luck, Gideon

Reply to
Gideon

Pressure washer.

Reply to
Robert Allison

Oops, I forgot to mention one thing. If your needs will be met with a power washer, then please read the instructions and seek advise before using one on your siding. I've seen many situations in which the siding looked MUCH worse after power washing.

Good luck, Gideon

Reply to
Gideon

What happened? Why was it worse when it was clean rather than dirty? How can pressure washing cause any harm to vinyl siding? How many situations? Can you point us to any other sources to confirm this?

rusty redcloud

Reply to
Red Cloud®

What happened? Why was it worse when it was clean rather than dirty? How can pressure washing cause any harm to vinyl siding? How many situations? Can you point us to any other sources to confirm this?

rusty redcloud

Reply to
Gideon

I thought Gideon gave great advice and proper precautions.

The uneducated and practiced use of a pressure washer can destroy just about any surface. That includes vinyl siding. There is also the improper use of cleaning solutions that can result in run lines from the dirt that are very hard if not impossible to remove.

Colbyt

Reply to
Colbyt

Reply to
I R Baboon

That's not what Gideon said. Meanwhile, plese tell me what damage can be done to the surface of vinyl siding with a pressure washer, and provide some links to proof of your claims. I say you are full of it. Please feel free to prove me wrong.

rusty redcloud

Reply to
Red Cloud®

Beware the pressure washer in inexperienced hands! They can destroy the seals in insulated windows for starters. A zero degree nozzle will alow you to permanently carve your name in concrete or brick. Washing across the fins on an air conditioner will ruin the coil. One of my units has an 18 hp engine with a Cat pump on it, and I could probably use that one in place of the chain saw. Spic and Span does a pretty good job in presoak of vinyl siding before pressure washing, or before hand brushing. Use a wide angle nozzle and go easy.

RJ

Reply to
Backlash

I use a cleaning solution (1 cup TSP, 1 cup household bleach in 2 gallons of warm water) in a garden sprayer, a telescoping long-handled soft brush, and a garden hose.

Reply to
Phisherman

Personal observations.

This isn't a debate and I don't intend to waste the time researching it to try and prove a point.

The OP asked for advice and several people shared some. Along with other sources he should use them to make an educated decision on how to clean his/her siding.

Colbyt

Reply to
Colbyt

I agree. pressure washers can blow holes in siding, if you disagree than you have never seen a REAL pressure washer.

Reply to
longshot

More likely, you've never seen someone who knew how to use a REAL pressure washer properly.

rusty redcloud

Reply to
Red Cloud©

I think the point was to be careful, if you have never used one. thanks for paying attention.

Reply to
longshot

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