Mold, mildew, stains, accumulation of chalk, dirt, debris–all can impact the cleanliness of your siding. If you don’t clean such substances off, they’ll continue to erode structural stability, eventually bonding at the molecular level with a home’s exterior.
The only way to clean siding will be either sanding to the point of brittle implosion or reinstalling new siding. With older houses, this happens all the time, and most property owners just replace the exterior siding.
However, it’s possible to maintain said siding continuously and avoid such replacement. Here we’ll focus on a few cleaning methods for multiple siding types, including:
• Cedar
• Fiber Cement
• Wood
• Vinyl
Cedar
Don’t use chlorine bleach with cedar. Oxygen bleach may be alright; the ingredient that gets the job done is sodium percarbonate. Nylon bristle brushes can be used; for best results, let the wood soak for fifteen minutes before using associated solutions and cleaning implements.
Fiber Cement
This is one of the most accessible siding options to clean; you just need water and a brush. The biggest issue will be switching out cloth or sponges that have become saturated with dirt. Yes, soft brushes and particular cleaning solutions are to be advised.
Also, pressure washing is something you will still want to be careful about; go too strong, and you’ll damage the siding. Even so, this siding material is slightly more potent than others–seek consultation.
Wood
Pressure walkers can work, but be sure associated pressure is under 15,000 PSI. With wood, there are often a lot of layers bonded together with wax and other things. Strong pressure washers can seriously damage such siding. A soft-bristled brush and a house-cleaning solution allowed to soak into siding for fifteen minutes or so, work for many homeowners.
Vinyl
With vinyl siding, you want white vinegar and water in a 70/30 mixture with a low number on the vinegar. You’ll use either a soft cloth or a brush that is not metal and has soft bristles. The brush can be on a long pole for larger properties. Also, pressure-washers can be used, and garden hoses can help. There are additional products designed specifically for home washing.
Keeping Your Siding Clean
Wood, Vinyl, Cedar, Fiber Cement–all can be cleaned and benefit from soft brushes, proper cleaning solutions, and water that isn’t at too high a pressure. Semper Fi Exteriors can help you get the balance right; contact us for more detailed info.
