Vinyl is commonly recognized for its easy upkeep and affordable attractiveness compared to wood, aluminum, or fiber used in siding. However, due to exposure, your vinyl siding might accumulate dirt over time, potentially diminishing its appeal and causing harm.
Revitalize and protect your siding by using an outdoor cleaner specifically formulated to refresh it effectively and safely. This post will guide you on factors to consider when selecting a cleaner for your vinyl siding.
Ingredients
Certain chemicals can interact with or harm the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in vinyl siding. To avoid this, opt for siding cleaners and multi-surface exterior cleansers using inorganic solvents like water, hydrogen peroxide, or alkyl sulfates.
Avoid using cleaners with organic solvents and oil ethers like acetone, benzene, or tetrahydrofuran, which have similar properties to vinyl siding. These cleaners can damage vinyl siding and lead to dark, foggy patches, stripes, and a fragile, uneven surface.
They may also cause color fading and reduced impact resistance. Maintain your vinyl siding effectively by prioritizing the siding cleaner’s ingredients and checking their safety on your siding.
Mold and Mildew Removal
High humidity, lack of sunlight, exposure to dirt and tree sap can all contribute to mildew and mold on vinyl siding. Consider using a vinyl siding cleaner specifically formulated to combat mildew and mold in damp, humid, or cloudy conditions, or when abundant vegetation or trees are nearby.
These treatments often contain fungicides like black chlorine, ammonium chloride, or oxygenated bleach, which can effectively remove stubborn contaminants such as rust, limestone, and mold, but chlorine bleach may harm surrounding plants, so using ammonium chloride around flowers, vegetables, and shrubs is safer.
Applications
A vinyl siding cleaner can be applied in three ways: manually using a pressure washer, a hose attachment dispenser, or a long-handled brush.
- Pressure washing is the quickest and easiest method for cleaning the exterior and removing tough stains. To use with a pressure washer, a vinyl siding cleaner is typically branded and comes in a large container that can be placed in the liquid reservoir on the pressure washer. Remember that pressure washing could damage certain siding materials, so check with the siding company before using.
- A bottle is attached to the end of a standard garden hose to operate a treadmill. When the hose nozzle is turned on, it sprays water diluted from the tap. Without any measurements, this method eliminates the need to fill a separate container with liquid.
- The manual cleaning method involves pouring the cleaner into a bucket and applying it with a brush. Most cleaners designed for pressure washers can also be applied manually with a brush. This application technique works well with cleaners that come in large resealable containers.
Formula
Cleaners for vinyl siding come in ready-to-use or concentrated form. Concentrated cleansers must be diluted with water before application. If a concentrated cleaner is used with a pressure washer, the washer automatically dilutes the cleaner via a separate tap connection.
Similarly, a flow-through dispenser operates on the same principle, diluting the cleaner as water passes through and sprays the cleaning solution on the surface. Typically, opting for a concentrated formula is more cost-effective.
Endnote
Collaborating with a skilled contractor is essential to secure the correct installation and lasting resilience of vinyl siding. Opting for a professional installer provides multiple advantages. Primarily, professional installation ensures the accurate placement of the siding, averting potential problems like water seepage or openings. A reliable contractor also has the abilities and knowledge to address any difficulties that may emerge while setting up the siding.
0
Leave a Reply