It's very important that you use the right nozzle when cleaning house siding or you can quickly damage it. The yellow 15-degree nozzle is the best choice for siding and similar surfaces.
Turbo Nozzle
The rotating nozzle gives you the extreme pressure of a 0° nozzle with the wide coverage of a 25° nozzle. If you choose to use a rotating nozzle, be extra careful what surface you use it on. The pressure of a 0° spray can damage wood, siding, and some metals.
White indicates a 40-degree angle of spray. Pressure washers, of course, spray pressurized water. The angle of their respective spray will vary depending on the nozzle. With the white nozzle, you can expect a 40-degree angle of spray.
Green nozzles have a spray pattern of 25 degrees. They produce a moderately powerful spray and a flushing or sweeping effect. This attachment is perfect for power washing vehicles with fine finishes. White nozzles have a spray pattern of 40 degrees.
Using a Pressure Washer to Clean Vinyl Siding
Pressure washers are easy to operate and are perfectly safe for cleaning your siding, contrary to what you may have heard before. The trick is to use lower water pressure so the water doesn't get behind your siding or damage the surface.
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.
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.
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.
Your rotary turbo nozzle is the best thing you can use to strip off old paint, graffiti, and other debris from pavement and concrete. So if you're looking to clean up that stone walkway or driveway, then rotary pressure should be your go-to.
Once you know the GPM and PSI of your pump, you can select the correct nozzle orifice size. The orifice size of the nozzle determines the operating pressure of your machine. As a rule of thumb, the smaller the orifice, the greater the restriction of water flowing through the machine.
Soft-washing techniques work best for cleaning your home's siding and roof. Pressure washers with soft-washing nozzles risk damaging siding, cracking roof tiles, and breaking glass windows. Soft-washing services, on the other hand, are entirely safe for all exterior home surfaces.
Using Soap Means Less Pressure and Less Damage To Your Home.
If the stream of water is too strong, it can damage stucco, masonry, wood and vinyl siding and can also penetrate into your home's structure. Pressure washing with high pressure also routinely damages window screens, decks and exterior lighting.
A popular time to do so is in the spring, especially in more northern climates where snow, ice, and salt can do a number on your home over the winter. But, the truth is, you can clean your vinyl siding any time of year, as long as you have a mild, sunny day in the forecast.
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.
If you see any chalky or whiteness and your siding looks a deeper color in the area you rubbed, then unfortunately, your siding has started or is well along in the oxidation process. The other thing that is obvious is a slightly white haze all over that the vinyl starts to show.
After pressure washing your house, you have to wait for it to fully dry before you can paint it. This waiting time can be anywhere from 24 hours to 3 days. Pressure washing isn't for beginners. If you're not experienced, the high water pressure can easily damage portions of your house's exterior.
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.
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.
Dish soap or laundry soap mixed with warm water are efficient at cleaning your siding.
Green nozzles are designed for use on soft surfaces such as vinyl siding or cars. They provide a gentle stream of water that won't damage delicate surfaces. Yellow nozzles are ideal for use on medium-duty cleaning jobs such as removing stubborn dirt and grime from concrete or brick.
All power washers come out-of-the-box with 3-4 color coded nozzle tips. The 40-degree is the most gentle spray. Held at the right distance you would use a 40-degree nozzle to clean windows and other fragile surfaces.
Mix 30% white vinegar and 70% water in a spray bottle. We marked our bottle before filling it with the proper amounts. Spray the mixture on the siding. Make sure you test a small area first.