Vinyl siding is a popular choice for homeowners because it’s durable and easy to maintain
One of the best ways to keep your vinyl siding looking new is by using a quality cleaner regularly.
There are many different types of vinyl siding cleaners available, so it’s important to choose the right one for your needs.
Using a quality cleaner can help protect your investment and prolong the life of your vinyl siding.
Following the manufacturer’s instructions when cleaning your vinyl siding is also important.
If you’ve recently purchased a house and want to make it look as best as possible, we can help. Vinyl siding is one of the best products for exterior home décor because it’s durable, easy to install, and comes in many colors.
Unlike other types of siding, it doesn’t need repainting; it doesn’t rot, crack or chip either! The best part about vinyl siding is that it gets dirty or moldy/mildewy – all you have to do is clean it with your pressure washer!
This article will share the Best Vinyl Siding Cleaner available for pressure washers so that your house will be the most pristine on the block.
What Is a Vinyl Siding Cleaner?
Vinyl siding cleaners are products that help you safely remove dirt, mold, and mildew from your vinyl siding. They’re best used with a pressure washer because they loosen up the grime so it can be rinsed away more efficiently by high-pressure water.
Why Is It Necessary to Clean Your Vinyl Siding?
Vinyl siding is a popular choice for homeowners who want to give their house a cosmetic upgrade without investing in significant construction work. Because it’s accessible to clean and low-maintenance, vinyl siding can significantly improve the look of your house.
It’s essential to keep your home’s exterior looking its best. But, because it helps your house look great, dirty siding can wear away the finish over time.
Below are some of the main reasons you should make cleaning your vinyl siding an essential part of your spring or fall maintenance routine.
Warranty Protection
Cleaning Your Siding protects Its Warranty. Washing dirt, grime, pollen, and other debris from vinyl siding help prevent damage that can void the warranty.
Shiny Look
Removing Stains Helps Your Unsightly Siding dirt, grime, and stains can make your house look run down. But removing them helps restore the original beauty of your siding.
Increase Resale Value
Removing Spots Makes Your Home More Resale-able, Even if you aren’t planning on selling your house anytime soon. Cleaning spots off of your vinyl siding can help make it more marketable in the future if you decide to put it up for sale. Stains, mold, or dirt can make your home less appealing to potential buyers.
Tax Credit
Today’s vinyl siding is better than ever because it has features that protect the house from water damage and help it retain heat in cooler months. You may even be able to get a tax credit for having vinyl siding installed on your home.
However, you can take these perks away if you don’t maintain them properly. With just a little effort and regular cleaning, however, you can keep your siding looking new for years to come.
Increase Durability
Keeping grass and shrubs away from your siding is vital because overgrown plants can trap moisture between the vinyl and the house, causing damage.
Use a broom or a hand-held outdoor vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment to suck up any fallen leaves or other debris from the surface of the siding. If you get regular spring cleanings of your exterior, all the debris will already be gone, making your job easier.
How to Choose the Best Vinyl Siding Cleaner
When cleaning your vinyl siding, you want to make sure you’re using the best possible cleaner for the job. After all, you don’t want to end up with streaky siding or, even worse, damaged siding. So how do you choose the best vinyl siding cleaner?
Here are some things to bear in mind:
Ingredients
Look for a vinyl siding cleaner that’s as natural as possible. It should only contain all-natural materials and no harsh chemicals or toxins.
Some chemicals can react with or damage vinyl siding, which is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Look for siding washes and multisurface outdoor cleaners that include inorganic solvents, such as water or hydrogen peroxide, or soaps containing water-soluble surfactants, such as alkyl sulfates.
Cleaners similar to vinyl sidings, such as those using organic solvents or petroleum ethers like acetone, benzene, or tetrahydrofuran, may harm it, causing dark and hazy patches, streaks, yellowing, and a brittle, cracked, or distorted surface. These chemicals can also cause color loss and durability problems.
Vinyl siding that has been spot-cleaned with liquid grease removers, nail polish removers, or furniture polishes is difficult to clean properly because conventional solvents are used in the process.
Formula
Vinyl siding cleaners come in both concentrated and ready-to-use formulas. If you choose a concentrated cleaner, you’ll need to dilute it in water before using it. You can use a pressure washer to automatically dilute the cleaner or a hose-end dispenser.
Ready-to-use formula is generally more expensive than a concentrated one, but it’s more convenient. On the other hand, concentrated formula is generally the more economical choice if you have a lot of vinyl siding to clean.
Mold and Mildew Removal
If you live in an area with a lot of vegetation or trees, or if the climate is damp, humid, or cloudy, you may want to look for a vinyl siding cleaner specifically formulated to combat mold and mildew. Fungicides, such as ammonium chloride, chlorine bleach, or oxygenated bleach, are often included in these cleaners.
Oxygenated bleach is a good choice if you’re worried about harming plants, as it won’t kill them like chlorine bleach can.
Ammonia-based cleaners are also effective against mold and mildew, but they can be harsh on both people and the environment. If you use an ammonia-based cleaner, follow the directions carefully and ventilate the area well.
Stain Removal
If your vinyl siding is stained, you’ll want to look for a cleanser specifically designed to remove stains. These cleaners often contain oxalic acid, which is effective at removing rust stains, and hydrochloric acid, which is effective at removing mineral deposits.
Environmental Impact
Some vinyl siding cleaners are more eco-friendly than others. If you’re concerned about the environmental impact of your cleaner, look for one that’s biodegradable and has the EPA Safer Choice label. This label indicates that the cleaner meets the Safer Choice Standard for human health and environmental safety.
Type of Siding
Make sure the cleaner is suitable for your siding. Some cleaners can damage certain types of vinyl, so best to check with the brand before you buy!
Smell
Vinyl siding cleaners aren’t too concerned with the scent of their products since they’ll be applying it outside. On the other hand, some products have a fragrance, so you may choose one if you like fragrant cleaners.
Purpose
Some cleaners are explicitly designed to remove mold and mildew. Others can be used as general-purpose cleaners, too – so read the label carefully before you buy!
Price
Vinyl siding cleaners vary widely in price, so you’ll want to choose one that fits your budget. However, You can find vinyl siding cleaners for as little as $15 or upwards of hundreds. Still, it depends on what ingredients and how much is included in the formula. Therefore, looking for a cleaner that best suits your budget is best.
Best Vinyl Siding Cleaner For Pressure Washer
Here we will share with you the results of our research and testing. In addition, we have compared different types of cleaners, their effectiveness, and things to consider before buying.
Simple Green Pro HD
Last update on 2024-08-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Simple Green Pro HD is an excellent tool for power washing. I can use it under pressure from my washer and even dilute it with water to scrub siding on homes or buildings!
It’s also professional-grade, so you don’t have to worry about using at-home projects around food preparation areas. This stuff works no matter where we go from here (plus, there are more efficient ways than an inefficient one)!
Specs
- Formula: Concentrated
- Material feature: Biodegradable
- Size: One gallon
- Item weight: 12.38 pounds
- Item Volume: 160.00 fluid ounces
- Type of siding: Vinyl, wood, metal, and more
- Application: Apply with a pressure washer, mop, or cloth
- Purpose: Cleans eliminates grease and grime
Mold Armor FG503 E-Z House Wash
Last update on 2024-07-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The #1 choice for cleaning away mold and mildew on your house, the Mold Armor one-step wash can also scrub stains from any surface. All without having to use a high-power pressure washer!
Mold is never an appealing sight – but now you don’t have to worry because we’ve got just what you’re looking for with this product’s ability not only clean off those pesky black spots that keep coming back year after year; but also provide deep down dirt removal so they’ll be gone once
Specs
- Formula: Concentrated, Can be diluted or used at full strength.
- Size: One gallon
- Item weight: 9.3 pounds
- Type of siding: Vinyl, aluminum, wood siding, brick stucco, concrete, trim, painted decks, fences, and more.
- Applications: Pressure washer or manual
- Purpose: Kills mold and mildew
Simple Green Oxy Solve Outdoor Cleaner
Last update on 2024-07-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Simple Green Oxy Solve Outdoor Cleaner is a non-toxic, orally safe solution that cleans your vinyl siding without other harsh chemicals.
It’s biodegradable and approved by EPA, so you can feel good about cleaning with it when choosing environmentally friendly products for your home or business!
Specs
- Formula: Concentrated
- Material feature: Biodegradable
- Size: One gallon
- Product Dimensions : 7.68 x 4.7 x 11 inches
- Weight: 9.27 pounds
- Type of siding: Vinyl, wood, composite, metal, fabric, plastic, wicker, concrete, stone, brick, and asphalt
- Application: Pressure washer or manual
- Purpose: Lifts dirt, grime, and stains from mold, mildew, moss, and algae
Wet and Forget Moss Mold Mildew & Algae Stain Remover
Last update on 2024-07-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This soap is the answer to all your outdoor cleaning needs. It can tackle anything from stone columns and concrete pathways to vinyl siding – even rigid building materials like a house!
The non-caustic nonacidic bleach-free formula makes it safe enough for almost any surface. So you don’t have to stop at Home Depot when there’s dirt on that roof; grab some of this mildew Remover instead.
Though this product is marketed to keep your home clean and fresh, we recommend against using it indoors because of the biocide. In addition, it will remove all dirt from moss or mold. That could be hazardous if you’re not careful when wearing protective gear- including eye protection and a face mask!
Vinyl siding cleaner is available in a 0.5-gallon bottle. You may dilute it to make a total of 3 gallons of solution.
Specs
- Formula: Bleach free and nonacidic
- Material feature: Biodegradable
- Size: 0.5 gallon
- Product Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 1 inches
- Item weight: 1 pound
- Type of siding: house siding,decks,roofs,brick,driveways,walkways,boats,fences,RVs and more
- Application: Pressure washer or manual
- Purpose: Moss, mold, mildew, and algae removal on any exterior surface
Star Brite Mold & Mildew Stain Remover + Cleaner
Last update on 2024-08-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Star Brite Mold & Mildew Stain Remover is perfect for the toughest stains. It contains bleach, surfactants, and lye which combine into a highly alkaline solution to tackle rigid mold or mildew problems with complete ease!
You can use it on pressure washer foaming surfaces. Still, it shouldn’t be applied where you want heavy soiling due to its high pH level, damaging latex paint finishes. It is especially true if other chemicals are mixed, like plant fertilizers nearby, because of their natural properties (bleach).
This product can be freely rinsed off and re-applied with a pressure washer. However, you should apply the cleaner by pouring it on or with a spray bottle. Your cleaning solution is more efficient in smaller areas like car interiors with fewer spills than outside an enclosed space or outdoor patio area.
This particular gear comes pre-packaged in two different sizes: 32 Oz & 1 Gallon. The dilution ratio suggests using less than two tablespoons per gallon at full strength. Still, we recommend titrating yourself according to how many surface materials need attention.
Specs
- Formula: Concentrated
- Item Dimensions (LxWxH): 3.25 x 5 x 11.75 inches
- Package Weight: 1.25 Kilograms
- Item Volume: 32 Fluid Ounces
- Style: 32 Oz. Spray
- Type of siding: Vinyl cushions, outdoor awnings, siding, gutters, garage doors, boat tops, tile, grout, bath mats, shower stalls, curtains, etc.
- Application: Manual or pressure washer
- Purpose: Moss, mold, mildew, and hard stains remove
Mold Armor E-Z House Wash
Last update on 2024-08-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Mold Armor is the best way to keep your vinyl siding looking new. It comes in two 0.5-gallon jugs with an adjustable sprayer attached. So all you have to do is connect a garden hose from there and turn on the water for some fast exterior house cleaning!
The oxygenated bleach-based cleaner will remove tough stains while discouraging the regrowth of mold or mildew. It also works wonders on concrete patios because it’s safe enough around children and pets (so long as they don’t lick at any residue).
Specs
- Formula: Can is diluted or used at full strength.
- Material feature: Biodegradable
- Item Volume: 64 Fluid Ounces
- Item weight: 9.9 pounds
- Package Dimensions: 11.85 x 10.39 x 3.78 inches
- Type of siding: Vinyl, aluminum, painted wood, stucco, concrete, trim, and more
- Application: Manual or pressure washer
- Purpose: Kills mold and mildew within 10 minutes
30 SECONDS Hose End Sprayer Outdoor Cleaner
Last update on 2024-07-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
There’s nothing better than the 30 SECONDS Cleaners formula for tough exterior cleaning jobs. Attach a garden hose to your cleaner jug and start blasting away! It will remove mold stains in less than one minute without damaging plants or landscaping around it.
With its fast-acting power, you can even clean second-story roofs of homes if needed by turning down more water pressure when aiming up from ground level. Hence, as not to blast dirt onto the shingles above.
Specs
- Formula: Concentrated
- Material feature: Biodegradable
- Liquid Volume: 192 fluid ounces
- Item weight: 4 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 10 x 11.25 x 6.75 inches
- Type of siding: Decks, concrete driveways, sidewalks, stucco, vinyl siding, brick walls, and fences
- Application: Manual or pressure washer
- Purpose: Kills surface mold and mildew
Jomax Outdoor Mildew Remover House Siding Cleaner
Last update on 2024-08-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
With a potent mildewcide and an easy-to-apply mix made from just water with bleach, the Jomax exterior cleaner will make your home or business look clean again.
I have the perfect solution if you want to clean your vinyl siding. Mix 2.25 cups of bleach and 1 gallon (or less) of water in a spray bottle for an easy DIY project that will leave it as good as new!
Mold can grow on surfaces in places you least expect it! The best part? This product comes in 1-gallon jugs, which means more than enough for those pesky problems waiting around every corner (and inside them, too!).
Cleaning your vinyl siding will be as easy for you or me! First, we need to apply a diluted cleaner solution onto the surface. Allow about 10 minutes (or less if those pesky stains refuse to budge), then rinse off with clean water.
It is one chore that won’t take up all afternoon–and I mean, who already doesn’t have enough outdoor work in their lives?
Specs
- Formula: Concentrated
- Size: One gallon
- Item weight: 8.6 pounds
- Package Dimensions: 12.09 x 7.32 x 3.78 inches
- Type of siding: House siding, stucco, vinyl fence, and more
- Application: Manual or pressure washer
- Purpose: Kills mold and mildew
Vinyl Siding Cleaner Application Methods
There are many ways to clean your vinyl siding. You can apply the cleaner with a built-in applicator, bucket, and medium bristled brush or spray it on if you have a pressure washer!
Built-in Applicator
You can buy cleaners with a built-in applicator, so you don’t have to worry about mixing, diluting, or applying the solution.
Manual Application
This method is best used when there’s no pressure washer available and is usually done with a bucket of water, and a medium bristled brush for scrubbing.
Pressure Washing
The best way to apply vinyl siding cleaners is with a pressure washer because it does all the hard work! Spray or foam on the cleaner then rinses off.
Once you’re done, wipe down the cleaner from your siding and store it properly until next time! If any stains are left behind, best use a simple household solution of vinegar and water.
What Is the Best Way to Clean Vinyl Siding Safely?
Turn off the electricity
Turn off the power to your home’s exterior before you begin. Electricity and water don’t go together!
Protect lighting and outlets
If you’re using lights or outlets outside, cover them with a plastic bag or a protective lid to prevent them from getting wet.
Wear safety glasses and gloves
It is crucial, especially if you’re using a pressure washer, since the cleaning solution may shoot back at you. Also, keeping your skin and eyes covered is best because many chemicals can irritate your skin and eyes.
Read Instructions
Always read your product’s manufacturer’s instructions for further information.
Use a low-pressure setting
If you’re using a pressure washer, use a low setting to minimize the risk of vinyl damage.
Start from the top down
There are tiny gaps between each piece of vinyl siding. If you work your way from the bottom up, you risk water getting inside those gaps, resulting in dampness beneath the siding.
Another disadvantage is that the dirty water trickles down, so the dirt from the top will flow down if you clean the bottom first.
Make Sure You Get the Best Vinyl Siding Cleaner
You’ll be the star of your block when you use one of these best vinyl siding cleaners! They never noticed before, but now they want to know who “the new kid” is.
Luckily, we have Wet And Forget Moss Mold Mildew & Algae Stain Remover. It can do everything from window cleaning to outdoor surfaces like roofs or decks.
Other great options include Mold Armor House Wash. It gets rid of any pesky mold and mildew stains. That might’ve been hiding out in those nooks and crannies waiting until someone hits return on their computer screen due to lackluster attention. Or Simple Green Oxygen Bleach for a truly deep clean.
Don’t let your neighbors have all the best vinyl siding cleaner fun! Instead, get to shopping and stick it to them with these best products on the market today.
It is time you get back at those kids down the road who always jumped off your roof before they got caught by mom or dad.
FAQs
How do I best store my vinyl siding cleaners?
Make sure they’re stored out of the reach of children and pets. If they’re stored in a metal container, it is best to keep them away from direct sunlight. It can oxidize the chemicals inside over time, making them less effective!
Do Vinyl Siding Cleaners Expire?
Yes, just like food, cleaning products can and do expire because the active ingredients in these products break down over time, making them less effective.
You may not notice the difference immediately, but the expiration date will eventually catch up with you. So it’s important to check the label before using any cleaner, especially if it’s been sitting on your shelf for a while.
For Example,
Dish detergent: 12-18 months
All-purpose cleaning sprays: 2 years
Bleach: 1 year
Laundry detergent: 9-12 months
Is it Safe to Use Bleach on My Siding?
Yes, bleach is safe for vinyl siding but is best used in small quantities mixed with dish soap (or another suitable cleaning agent). Mix the solution in a bucket and scrub your siding with a medium bristled brush.
How often should I wash my vinyl siding?
It depends on how dirty it gets from the elements. If your house is exposed to a lot of dirt and grime, it’s best to clean it every year, especially if you notice mold building up between the grooves.
Should I use a high or low-pressure washer to clean my vinyl siding?
Vinyl siding is resilient and durable, but it isn’t indestructible. With a powerful force like water from your pressure washer, you can damage the surface of vinyl panels, causing delamination or cracking in some cases.
In addition, it will lead to leaks around seams where rainwater gets into microscopic gaps between pieces due to tension caused by wind loading them down against each other and distortion.
You can use 1300 to 1600 PSI for most exterior cleaning needs.
What is the best way to clean vinyl siding without scrubbing?
The first option is to use a pressure washer—the force of the liquid acts as a cleaner on the siding, removing dirt from it.
If you use a high-quality formula and soak the vinyl for a reasonable amount of time, you should not need to do much scrubbing. After that, clean it off with a hose or cloth.
Related Article: Clean Vinyl Siding With A Pressure Washer
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Last update on 2024-07-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API