How to Clean House Siding

The siding on your house may be covered in dust, spiderwebs or mud.Quality house siding lasts a very long time and cleans up like new. There are two simple techniques for cleaning house siding, whether it's vinyl or wood.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garden hose with adjustable pressure spray attachment or hose end sprayer or power washer
• Biodegradable soap

1. Use a broom to wipe away large cobwebs, especially under the eaves of the roof. This will cut down on the amount of water that you need to use.

2. Protect the flowerbeds and delicate plants that grow along the edges of your house by covering them with a tarp. If your basement windows leak, press a layer of tarp up under the last row of siding and secure with a staple or thumbtacks to keep the water from getting inside.

3. Add biodegradable cleaner to the hose end sprayer and begin to spray from the top of the house. Spray in a horizontal pattern and avoid using too much pressure at the windows.

4. Use a push broom for deeply textured surfaces that are difficult to penetrate or if your hose pressure isn't strong enough to scrub inside the cracks.

5. Rinse the house siding with a final layer of water only to prevent soapy residue from adhering to the siding and attracting dirt.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean your siding twice a year to prevent spider infestation.
• Don't clean your house on a very hot day; the plants under the tarp will roast, and the soap can dry before it's rinsed away.