The weather has been humid and rainy for the past several days. This morning, while checking the gutter for pecan blooms, I noticed that I could wipe the mildew off the vinyl siding with my finger making it just right for cleaning and not having to wet it down. Since I already had the step ladder out, I decided to give it a try.
I filled a small bucket with hot water and put a little Dawn and Clorox in the water. I hung the bucket on the step ladder where you hang a paint bucket and went to work. The hardest part was moving the bucket and step ladder. I didn't even have to spray the siding with the hose which is good. The ground is already saturated.
Now that I've gotten that done, I'm ready to clean all the other, but I'll have to have some help to get that done.
If you can reach it, washing vinyl siding with a rag is as easy as washing the car.
This page contains the following solutions.
Vinyl Siding is easy to wash by hand except for reaching the high spots and getting up on a ladder is not for old folks like us. We needed a brush that we could attach to a pole for cleaning the gutters and other areas that are high.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Can I use Totally Awesome in a pressure washer? If I can, is it safe to use on vinyl house siding and how much do I dilute it? Is it safe around outdoor plants?
Here's the totally awesome cleaner phone# & website:
PHONE: 714-562-8873
info@lastotallyawesome.com
As a side note...on the Bob Vila website, here are his suggestions for cleaning siding:
Have you used a pressure washer before or is this something new to you? I'm only asking because using a pressure washer incorrectly could possibly do a lot of damage to your siding or even your house.
It's also possible your pressure washer brand has a lot of information (pamphlets or online) about how to use this machine properly. Call or contact the company online for information.
Also, Home Depot may still have classes on how to use a pressure washer.
Totally Awesome is undoubtedly a good cleaning product, but I have found it to be too strong to use undiluted on most things.
You should also use safety precautions when using this product.
I have been using a pressure washer for several years and in my experience, I have found many times just water with no cleaner does a very good job.
If there is a well (water) nearby, I would think seriously about what product to use, as most could contaminate your water source.
While in the process of washing siding, you will usually be exposed to whatever you're using, as the back spray generally blows the mist on you.
I feel sure your pressure washer company will not recommend using Totally Awesome in their machine.
If you decide to use this product, please be aware of the safety precautions issued by the Totally Awesome website:
"Environmental Precautions: Avoid release to the environment. Do not contaminate water sources or allow to enter storm sewer.
"Respiratory Protection
Use appropriate respiratory protection if exposure to mist or vapors is likely.
Serious Eye Damage/Eye Irritation:
Mist may cause irritation. Causes serious eye irritation.
Eye/face protection: Wear tight-fitting goggles or a face shield.
Hand Protection:
Do not wear rings, watches or similar apparel that could entrap the material."
LA's Totally Awesome All Purpose Cleaner is a safe, naturally gentle soap, specially formulated for cleaning a variety of surfaces. LA's Totally Awesome All Purpose Cleaner is non-toxic. The active ingredient in the awesome cleaner is Sodium hydroxide, otherwise known as Lye.
Jeff wrote "This product is excellent on vinyl siding. Spray, soak 10 minutes, rinse, and it's like new again"
www.stain-removal-101.com/
You can use homemade Eco-Friendly Vinyl Siding Cleaner:
30% white vinegar and 70% water in a spray bottle
Vinegar is considered eco-friendly or green. According to GreenMatters, white vinegar is 100 percent natural, biodegradable, vegan, hypoallergenic, and non-toxic.
Spray the mixture on the siding. Make sure you test a small area first. Let spay sit for 5-10 minutes. Use a soft brush to lightly scrub your vinyl siding. Spray completely with a hose.
thediynuts.com/
One cup of oxygen bleach per gallon of warm water also makes a great cleaner for vinyl siding
Pressure washing can be tricky. You might not even realize you are damaging the surface or your siding because of not controlling the amount of pressure. If using a pressure washer make sure you are doing it correctly.
Can you mix ammonia and water as a solution to clean outside vinyl siding? If so, what mixture?
By Bob
My daughter added a woodstove to one room in her house this winter. The stovepipe was such that it created a downdraft and caused creosote to get all over her vinyl siding. Does anyone have a solution or product that will work on this?
By Mainedame
Could try to warm it with a hair dryer, scrape it off with heavy duty steel wool, or I'd try WD-40 that stuff works on a lot of things. Or try a hot water wash and scrub.
We had an exterminator spray for yellow jackets. The insecticide has left yellow and brown stains on our white vinyl siding. How can we get the stains off? They seem to be baked on by the sun.
By Donna from Charleroi, PA
I would first see if they come off with water and agitation with a soft brush. The spot might be water soluble and easily removed this way. If the spots are persistent and not easily removed with water, maybe try a simple degreaser or all-purpose cleaner. Follow directions on container and start with a medium strength solution. Be gentle, and test a spot to make sure there will be no bad reactions.
I would also recommend calling the Exterminator and asking them to remove the stains. They should be very aware of the stains their product leaves behind, and should have told you this might happen and allowed you to possibly choose another form of exterminating.
I have a bird feeder that is suctioned to my window and in the winter I offer suet. Little bits fall and the birds also clean their beaks off by rubbing it on the stonework shelf/sill under the window. There is also about 4 inches of vinyl covering part of the stonework from the edge of the window covering half the stonework. The suet is melted onto that too. I have been scrubbing with vinegar and I've got all the debris off except the suet. Any ideas?
By Julie Q
House siding of all types can provide a good place for mold growth under certain conditions. This is a page about cleaning mold from vinyl siding.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I had a new roof put on my home and they removed the old one and stained a lot of my vinyl siding with black marks. It is a combination of the old stuff hitting the house.
