How to Restore & Clean Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding lasts for many years if it is well-kept.

Vinyl siding is a popular alternative to use on a house instead of wood, brick or stucco. It is inexpensive, lasts for many years, and is easy to remove and clean. Some compare the ease of washing vinyl siding to washing a car. If you want to restore and clean the vinyl siding on a house, you only need some basic tools, since vinyl is basically plastic and resists breakdown. Plastic material is much easier to clean than natural materials like wood or brick. Over time, vinyl siding accumulates pollen, dirt and tree debris and must be cleaned to maintain its original condition.

Things You'll Need

• Ladder
• Water
• Oxygen bleach
• Bucket
• Garden hose
• Scrub brush with long handle (RV brush)
• Rubber gloves

Instructions

1. Set up a ladder close to the house and bring up a garden hose with a sprayer attached. Turn on the water faucet.

2. Spray down the vinyl siding with a garden hose. Spray in a downward direction, not up. Get the siding wet to soften and remove the first layer of debris. Do not set the sprayer to a forceful setting, since water may get behind the vinyl and into the wood.

3. Fill a bucket with water and a cup of oxygen bleach. Scrub down the dirtiest areas of the vinyl with a brush dipped in the mixture. Start at the top of the house and work your way down. Work in a side-to-side direction, not up and down.

4. Rinse off the bleach with the hose before it dries on the vinyl.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use plain soap and water to wash down the vinyl, but bleach kills mold and mildew.

• Spraying water upward at the vinyl siding can cause water to seep underneath and cause wood damage. Do not let soapy water dry on the vinyl siding. Do not clean vinyl siding with chlorine bleach.

References

• Ask the Builder: Cleaning Vinyl Siding
• America Sides With Vinyl: Cleaning