The power of pressure washing can result in holes in your siding, breaking off vinyl panels, and more. When you're using a pressure washer, you're likely shooting water up toward the top of your house.
Vinyl, Cedar Shake, or Wood Panel Siding
They are easily damaged by high-pressure water. Soft washing, on the other hand, effectively cleans contaminants such as dirt, mold, and mildew from these surfaces. For this reason, it is better to use the soft washing method on vinyl, cedar shake, and wood panel siding.
You can scratch, bend or warp aluminum or vinyl siding if you apply too much pressure. Power washing over holes and cracks in siding can cause water to seep into your interiors, leading to structural damage and mold growth. A professional will cover those openings before beginning the job.
When cleaning your vinyl siding, it is important that you not use any cleaners containing organic solvents, undiluted chlorine bleach, liquid grease remover, nail polish remover, or furniture polish or cleaners. These products can potentially damage the surface of the siding.
It is a super effective way to get rid of stains and mold. Pressure washing allows you to get to those hard to reach places. Cons: If pressure washing is done incorrectly, it can cause damage to your home.
Even though vinyl is a durable, versatile and resilient building material, it does require regular care and cleaning. This prevents dirt and other contaminants from building up on the walls. Most experts recommend that vinyl siding should be cleaned once or twice a year.
If you're cleaning vinyl siding or driveway, a high-powered gasoline pressure washer with around 3,000 PSI is your most robust option.
Soft washing is a safe alternative to pressure washing. It uses water-based, biodegradable solutions that suspend dirt and grime. This process dissolves cobwebs and kills mold, bacteria, and algae while sanitizing the surface. It uses one-third the water of pressure washing and lasts four-to-six times longer.
The main difference is that power washing uses highly pressurized steam to do the cleaning while pressure washing just uses unheated tap water, without the help of a heating element.
General household cleaners such as Lysol are some of the most effective vinyl siding cleaners. They can used to clean tough stains and dirts including those that are caused by bubble gum, ink, crayon, rust, oil, grease, grass, or even soil.
For tough spots like paint drips, tar, and pencil and pen marks, use a nonabrasive bathtub cleaner or nylon scrub pad. Use ammonia cleaners or a solution of one part bleach in four parts water to clean mold and mildew stains. (However, never mix ammonia and bleach.) Rinse thoroughly while the siding is still wet.
Wash the Vinyl Siding on Your Home
Create a solution using Dawn and warm water to gently clean siding that's covered in dirt, moss, or mold. Coat the siding with the mixture, let it soak, and then hose it off.
Vinyl siding can withstand a powerful gas pressure washer (2,500-3,000 psi). Aluminum, stucco or soft-grain wood homes will do better with a less powerful washer (about 1,200-1,500 psi). Determine whether you will rent or buy your machine.
Using a garden hose, spray only the section of siding that you're working on with water. Spray using a downward motion to avoid forcing water underneath the siding, where it could cause damage and rot. Using a scrub brush and the TSP/water cleaner, scrub the siding to remove the grime and dirt.
Simple Green House and Siding Cleaner is specially formulated to remove environmental pollution, dirt, and grime from vinyl and aluminum siding, stucco, terra cotta roof tiles, and painted wood. It is also a perfect choice for use on shake, shingle, or panel siding.
To prevent mold from growing on siding, it's important to keep your siding clean by using a garden hose and a soft brush every couple of months. Since mold can travel through the air, it can attach to any surface. Regular cleaning prevents buildup and lets you scout out any mold that has begun to form.
While it can usually withstand normal seasonal changes in temperature, extreme temperature swings can present a problem for vinyl siding. Major heat waves can cause it to melt, while frigid cold snaps can cause it to crack – this process can also occur gradually over the years as your siding ages.
Warping and buckling are both problems associated with vinyl siding, these issues only occur when the siding is not installed correctly.
Drawbacks include being easily dented, the difficulty of replacing individual panels, color fading and potential cracking in extremely cold weather. All of these factors must be weighed carefully against the pros and cons of other types of siding when making a decision as important as installing new siding on a home.