How to Clean Your Siding Without a Power Washer

Your siding and roofing contractor will probably advise you to treat your new siding or roof to some cleaning now and then to keep it looking great. Cleaning is actually a part of regular maintenance to ensure your siding or your roof doesn’t force you into a premature replacement.

When Should You Clean Your Siding?

Once a year is an ideal schedule for cleaning your siding, especially if some parts of it are under shade or exposed to moisture all the time. You can make that twice a year if you notice that your siding gets dirty often.

Shade and dampness are ideal for mold and mildew growth, so you don’t want to delay your siding cleaning for too long. But if no part of your siding is under shade or exposed to water, you can probably get away with cleaning every two years.

Do I Need a Power Washer?

A power washer is a nice thing to have because it can make light work of siding cleaning. Roof replacement pros also advise using it on your roof, but only on the lowest setting. However, if you don’t have one, you can still keep your siding clean. You’ll need the following:

• A regular garden hose
• A cleaning mixture
• A soft-bristled brush
• A ladder, if you can’t reach all of your siding from the ground.

Clean the part of your siding that’s not under direct sunlight. The heat of the sun can make water or cleaning solution dry too quickly, causing stains and discoloration.

You can make your own cleaning solution using some regular dishwashing detergent and water. Put the mixture in a spray bottle.

Hose down a section of the siding, then spray it with the cleaning solution. Let it soak for about a minute. Wet your soft-bristled brush, then brush your siding starting at the top and working your way down. Remove the cleaning solution and dirt with your hose.

If there are stains or areas that are difficult to clean, use a mixture of distilled vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Let it soak for a minute or two, brush it, then hose it down.

Get in touch with American Roofing & Construction, LLC today. We can give you more advice on how to clean your siding. Call us at Mobile: (251) 379-9712, or Birmingham: (205) 223-2469. You can also tell us about your project here, and request a roof estimate.