How to clean vinyl siding with a hose, a soft brush and mild soap

Step by step: how to clean vinyl siding with a hose, a soft brush and mild soap

Safety first. Stay off tall ladders when you can: a brush on an extension pole reaches most second stories. Keep water and pressure washer spray away from outlets, light fixtures, meters and wiring, and never mix bleach with vinegar or ammonia cleaners.

1. 1

   Pick a cool, overcast day

   Wash when the siding is out of direct sun, so soap does not dry on the panels and leave streaks. Close windows and doors, and move grills, patio furniture and pots away from the wall. Cover brick or stone accents and delicate plants with plastic sheeting to protect them from runoff.

2. 2

   Rinse the wall with a garden hose

   Spray each wall from top to bottom with plain water to knock off loose dust, cobwebs and pollen. Aim the stream down or straight on, never up under the lap of the panels. For a house that is only dusty, this rinse may be all it needs.

3. 3

   Mix a mild cleaning solution

   Fill a bucket with about 2 gallons of warm water and a squirt of dish soap or a mild all-purpose cleaner diluted as the label directs. Use a gentle cleaner first and save stronger products for spots that need them. Test any cleaner on a hidden panel and rinse it off before doing a whole wall.

4. 4

   Scrub from the bottom up, one section at a time

   Dip a soft-bristle brush in the solution and scrub a section about 5 to 10 feet wide, starting at the bottom and working up. Starting low keeps dirty runoff from leaving streaks on dry siding below. On textured or wood-grain siding, brush along the grain to clean the grooves.

5. 5

   Rinse each section before it dries

   Rinse the section you just scrubbed thoroughly, top to bottom, before moving on. Soap left to dry on vinyl leaves a dull film and streaks. You should see clean, even color with no foam left in the lap joints.

6. 6

   Treat mildew with vinegar and water

   For green or black mildew, mix 3 parts white vinegar with 7 parts water in a spray bottle or bucket. Apply it, let it sit about 10 minutes without drying, scrub gently with the soft brush, and rinse well. Repeat on heavy patches rather than switching to harsh chemicals.

7. 7

   Spot clean stubborn stains

   For grease, crayon, tar and similar marks, use a household cleaner such as a mild degreaser or a non-abrasive cleanser on a soft cloth, then rinse. Keep solvents like nail polish remover and furniture polish off the siding. If a stain does not lift, check the siding maker’s care sheet before trying anything stronger.

8. 8

   Inspect and let it dry

   Walk around the house once the walls dry and look for streaks, missed spots, loose or cracked panels and gaps around windows. Spot clean anything you missed. Note damaged panels for repair, since water behind siding can reach the sheathing.

Can you pressure wash vinyl siding?

Yes, with caution, but check your siding manufacturer’s instructions first. The Vinyl Siding Institute (now part of PEPA) says some siding makers do not recommend power washing at all, and others limit the pressure and the cleaners you can use, according to its vinyl siding cleaning guidance.

• Hold the wand level, at about eye height, and never aim the spray upward. Upward spray drives water behind the panels.
• Use a wide fan tip and keep a steady distance from the wall. A narrow, close jet can gouge vinyl or blow out caulk.
• Keep the pressure moderate. Ply Gem’s siding care page calls for a 40-degree tip and 1,500 to 2,400 PSI, held straight at eye level, and warns that spraying upward lets water collect behind the siding.
• Stay away from windows, doors, vents, electrical fixtures, meters and plumbing openings.
• Never stand on a ladder with a pressure washer; the kickback can throw you off balance.

For most homes, a hose and a long-handled brush clean as well as a pressure washer, with less risk of forcing water into the wall.

What removes mildew, rust and other stains on vinyl siding

Most stains come off with a mild household cleaner and a soft cloth; mildew responds to a vinegar and water solution. The table follows the industry’s stain guidance.

If you use any bleach-based product, dilute it as the label says and never combine it with vinegar or ammonia cleaners. The EPA warns that mixing chlorine bleach with products containing ammonia can produce toxic fumes.

What not to use on vinyl siding

Skip solvents and anything abrasive: they soften, stain or scratch vinyl. The siding industry lists these as products to avoid:

• Cleaners with organic solvents
• Undiluted chlorine bleach
• Liquid grease remover
• Nail polish remover
• Furniture polish

Keep heat away too. Vinyl can warp or melt near a grill, and sunlight reflected off low-emissivity windows can distort panels. If the panels are faded, chalky or cracked rather than dirty, cleaning will not fix them; ask a siding contractor whether they need repair or replacement. While you are on the outside of the house, our guides to cleaning gutters and cleaning windows pair well with this job.

Mistakes to avoid

• Spraying a pressure washer upward under the panel laps, which pushes water into the wall.
• Washing in full sun, so soap dries on the siding before you can rinse it.
• Starting at the top and letting dirty runoff streak the dry siding below.
• Using undiluted bleach or solvent cleaners that stain or soften the vinyl.
• Scrubbing with a stiff or wire brush, which scratches the finish.
• Letting cleaner run onto brick, stone or plants without covering them.