One of the best ways to keep your home or apartment looking clean and fresh is making sure the exterior looks great! Learn how to clean vinyl siding with a pressure washer so that the outside of your place can shine!
Using a pressure washer is a great way to use many materials, including vinyl siding. Because of the pressure of the water, it can quickly and efficiently get rid of dirt and debris.
When to Clean Vinyl Siding With a Pressure Washer
There is a misconception that it is damaging to the vinyl siding to clean it with a pressure washer. That is simply not true!
There is confusion because it is not a good idea to use a pressure washer on soft surfaces, like wood. However, vinyl sidings are hard surfaces.
Does that mean that anyone can do it? No – you need to be PROPERLY TRAINED in how to use a pressure washer to clean your vinyl siding properly.
Without using this tool correctly, you could very well do damage to your home or apartment. It is incredibly dangerous to use any machine without training and a pressure washer is no exception.
Damaged vinyl siding can cause water to build up in your walls, cause window damage, or even remove paint! These are incredibly powerful machines!
How to Clean Vinyl Siding With a Pressure Washer
What you will Need
- A pressure washer
- Soap or pressure washer detergent*
- A rotating or utility brush, if necessary
*NOTE: Soap and water will do the job just fine but using a pressure washer detergent is always better. It will be guaranteed not to have any ingredients that could damage parts of the pressure washer.
Instructions
- Your pressure washer should have a soap injector. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to use the soap injector to add your soap or pressure washer detergent.
- Spray the soap mixture on your siding. **
- If it has been awhile since you cleaned your siding, use a rotating or utility brush on the end of your pressure washer to get those hard to clean spots.
- Wait 10 minutes for the solution to set. Make sure it does not dry!
- Rinse your vinyl siding, making sure not to spray any eavestroughs or light fixtures.
- Stand back and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
*NOTES ON HOW TO SPRAY:
- Pressure washers are powerful machines and you do not want to damage your vinyl siding.
- Start on LOW PRESSURE and make sure you are a safe distance away – at least 5 feet! You can adjust the pressure as needed, but always start with it very low.
- To prevent streaking, start at the bottom and work your way up, like painting. Apply the soap in systematic strokes so you do not miss a spot!
- Keep the angle of the wand down so you do not get water in under horizontal siding.
The high power of a pressure washer can melt away stubborn dirt or messes. Pressure washers are great to use when cleaning vinyl siding IF IT IS DONE CORRECTLY.
However, done incorrectly, the damage can be terrible and expensive. Many people choose an industrial cleaning company who has experience in using a pressure washer to clean vinyl siding to make sure the job is done right!
Learning how to clean vinyl siding using a pressure washer is well worth the effort. Without a lot of time and equipment, you can have fresh-looking, sparkling clean vinyl siding on your house or apartment!