Cleaning Home Siding

If there is one part of the house that is consistently difficult to clean, then it has to be the exterior siding. This is simply due to the fact that the siding of our homes is constantly subjected to the elements, and despite what we may wish, this means that it is almost constantly dirty. However, in the case of cleaning home siding it isn't so much a matter of an absence of dirt, as opposed to the degree and type of dirt that there may be. This means that cleaning home siding is actually a relatively simple process. The main point goal is that you will have a home exterior that appears to be clean, and that is free of any mold growing on it. In order to do this, all you really need to do is follow these simple guidelines, and you should have a clean and mold-free home siding once again.

• Get the proper tools. Before cleaning home siding, make sure that you have the proper tools. The simplest, and often easiest, tool to use when cleaning home siding is a power cleaner. These machines, also known as pressure washers and power washers, can be rented or purchased at any local home improvement store. Unless you are going to be using it lot, it is a better idea to rent a unit rather than purchasing it. In addition, you should also make sure that you have a stiff bristled nylon brush with a telescoping pole, a handheld version of the same brush, rubber gloves, safety glasses, and a bucket.
• Get the proper cleaners. There are all kinds of cleaners that you can use when cleaning home siding. One of the more traditional types to use is TSP, but this can sometimes be a little harsh on your siding so be careful as you follow the directions. Another option is to use a product called Jomax that you can get at home improvement stores such as Home Depot. For most general cleaning though, you can often get away with simply using regular soapy water, or even some chlorine bleach to help get rid of mold. When using chemicals such as these, it is important to remember that you wear proper safety equipment. This means wearing rubber gloves and safety glasses, since you don't want to cause any harm to yourself.
• Set aside the time. Cleaning home siding can be a big task, particularly if you are doing the job by hand. Be sure that you have set aside enough time to be completely thorough and to do the job right. Typically the best time to do a job like this is on the weekend, when you have plenty of time to dedicate to your job. Don't be surprised that the job may take more than one day to complete.
• Be thorough. As you are cleaning your home siding, don't get into too much of a hurry. The reason for this is that, when you are in a hurry you can easily find yourself skipping over sections of your home because they "don't look too bad." Those areas of the home that don't look to bad right now, can later on look even worse, and become a huge problem. Go over every bit of your house at least two times to ensure that you are cleaning it the right way, and that you don't miss anything.
• Know your options. As you can see, cleaning home siding can be a huge task. Because it can often be such a huge task, it shouldn't be a surprise that you can actually hire someone to do the work for you. Before you make your final decision as to whether you are going to do your own cleaning or not, make sure that you know all of your options. Sometimes it is worth paying a little extra money, to save yourself the headache and hassle of having to do the job.