If Using A Pressure Washer To Clean Vinyl Siding, Stand A Good Distance Away, Use Low-Pressure Settings And Keep The Angle Of The Wand Pointed Down!

A great attribute of vinyl siding is that it is incredibly easy to maintain and you only truly need to wash it annually.  When it comes time to clean your siding, there are several great concoctions and methods.  A large number of people prefer to use a pressure washer to blast away soapy grime.  While this is still a great way to clean your siding, great care must be taken when using this method.

Power washing itself doesn’t necessarily cause damage to vinyl siding but water can become trapped behind the siding.  This can cause mold and mildew to appear, which can be costly to treat.  Here are a few tricks you can use when power washing to keep your siding in great shape and avoid trapping water…

Always start on the lowest pressure possible.  You can always adjust the pressure if you need to but holding the wand a good 5 feet away from vinyl surfaces and keeping the pressure low is key.  You can move it closer if needed but gauge how much force is hitting your siding.

You can either use a soap mixture to lather onto the vinyl or even purchase a pressure washer detergent.  If using a detergent for the pressure washer, apply in smooth, overlapping strokes. No matter if you use the washer, a brush or a rag to clean dirt off, make sure you work in the soap/detergent and give it a good 5 to 10 minutes to break down layers of grime.  Never be afraid to use a brush for tougher areas.  You may want to keep your eye on it because you definitely don’t want the concoction to dry on the siding.  Once you think the cleaner has had a chance to attack dirt, rinse with a hose or your pressure washer.

Try not to spray eaves, vents or light fixtures directly because you could break them or knock them loose.  Make sure you rinse from top to bottom and keep the wand angled down so the force doesn’t cause your siding to buckle.  It’s not a bad idea to use a pressure washer to make cleaning your vinyl siding easier but simply take care in not applying too much force or blowing water up into, and thus, behind your siding.

Check out How To Know If You Need New Siding!