Anything that is left outside exposed to the wind, the rain, and the sun will eventually start
to loose its luster and appear dirty. This will happen whether it is lawn furniture, your
car or even the vinyl siding on your home. Cleaning vinyl siding is easy and
can be accomplished as a weekend project on an average sized home. As with most projects the work that
needs to be done to prepare for cleaning vinyl siding will take longer than the actual cleaning of the
siding itself.
The preparation for cleaning vinyl siding comes in two steps. The first is either removing
or covering anything that you do not want cleaned along with the siding. This would include finding
and covering all outside lighting fixtures and electrical outlets. Water and electrify do not
mix so you will want to cover all the outlets carefully. Plants that are next to the home need
to be covered to keep the dirt and grime from falling down on them. Move anything such as lawn
furniture and children's toys away from the house. Either park the car in the garage or on the
street to protect it. You want to be cleaning vinyl siding not dirtying your car.
The next step in cleaning vinyl siding is checking for mold and mildew. The mildew will often
look like dirt on the siding but will need special attention if your cleaning vinyl siding project is
to be a success. Test the dirty spots with a drop of bleach. If it turns white it is mold
or mildew. If it remains dark it is dirt and will wash off. Clean the spots that test positively
for mold with a mixture of one part bleach to five parts of water. Once the mildew has been removed
you are ready to attack the dirt.
Power washers will do an effective job of cleaning vinyl siding. They will also
do an effective job of taking the paint or other finish off wood trim and door. Extreme care needs
to be exercised when directing the stream toward anything but vinyl and always use it on low power with
the largest tip possible to avoid pitting the vinyl. The safer option is to use a bucket, a sponge
or soft cloth, and a vinyl cleaning solution. You can purchase these or make your own from biodegradable
materials.
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