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Siding
Keeping Your Vinyl Siding Looking Like New
Vinyl siding is one of the easiest to maintain considering you need to inspect it and wash it only once a year. It's sold with the notion that it is maintenance-free, but you will need to keep in mind several things.
- Wash it annually – Keeping it clean on a regular basis will keep you from scrubbing it harder when it becomes caked with dirt.
- Be careful with it – Keep lawnmowers, bicycles and lawn care items away from the siding so it doesn't crack or break.
- Keep hot things away from it – Grills, smokers, and patio torches can produce heat that can melt your vinyl siding.
Cleaning Vinyl
Cleaning vinyl siding is a snap with the right tools. If your siding isn't in need of scrubbing, spraying it with a hose can wash away the dirt and grime that has accumulated throughout the year. If you need a cleaning solvent, some ordinary dish soap or laundry detergent mixed with water will do the trick. Where there are troubled areas, such as mildew, a mild solution of 1 quart of bleach, ¾ gallons of water and a small amount of detergent. Scrub the areas with a soft-bristled, long-handled brush.
If scrubbing with a brush is going to be too much work, you can wash your siding with a power washer, which can be rented at your local home improvement store or other equipment rental business. Most homes can be pressure washed with a 2200 psi or higher washer.
To wash follow these simple steps:
- Turn off all power to the outside lights that may get wet.
- Ensure that all your windows are closed and spray away from doors and windows.
- If you have shrubbery or flowers below, make sure you cover them with plastic so no cleaning solution drips on them.
- Start at the top and work your way down.
- Be sure to rinse your cleaning solution off the siding before it dries.
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