Siding is amazing. Nothing else on your home has as much impact on your home’s appearance while simultaneously causing the least amount of maintenance, especially if you have vinyl siding. Vinyl siding is the exterior cladding that needs the least resources and time to maintain – which is good news for you. Compare vinyl siding to other exterior surfaces:
- Brick and mortar requires you to repoint the mortar.
- Wood siding needs frequent painting and/or staining.
- Stucco needs painting and sealing.
- Fiber cement needs caulking and painting.
Simple Cleaning Steps
Vinyl siding is by far the easiest to clean and you never have to paint it. Here’s how to clean your siding:
- Mix 4 gallons of water and 1/4 cup of dish soap.
- Start at the top and work your way down to prevent streaking.
- Hose off a section to remove the loose stuff, then brush on your cleaning solution.
- Rinse away the soap before it dries or it will leave marks.
Tough Stains Tips
If you have tough stains, you can use this solution to clean it up – 30% vinegar and 70% water. Be sure to spot check this solution or any other industrial cleaner first to make sure it won’t affect the color or integrity of the siding.
Never use any organic solvents, anything including bleach, grease remover, furniture cleaner or nail polish remover. Those can affect the plastic compounds in the siding and ruin the structure of the siding itself.
Pressure-Washing?
If you decide to use a pressure washer, do so with caution. Keep the stream below eye level and pointed straight at the siding, never at an angle. You don’t want to drive water behind the siding – this can cause mold to form.
Use caution when using a pressure washer around windows, doors, pets, plants and plumbing connections.
Some siding manufacturers do not want pressure washers used on their products at all – others suggest a maximum allowable pressure or method. Be sure to check with your siding manufacturer before using a pressure washer on your siding.
Replacement
Vinyl siding does last a long time, but it doesn’t last forever. If you are curious about getting a new vinyl color or yours is faded because it’s very old, it might make sense to get a quote to replace all the siding on your house. If you currently have wood siding, it’s an obvious decision to eliminate all of the maintenance you’ve been doing on your siding.
With a tiny bit of effort this spring, you can get your siding looking brand new, giving your house a glow. Vinyl siding provides trouble-free beauty that no other exterior cladding can claim. If you’d like to put some vinyl siding on your house this spring, please give Pro Home Improvement a call to set up an appointment at 888-776-1998 or request a free estimate.