Tips for Cleaning Your Home’s Siding in Southgate Michigan Regardless Of Material

Your home’s siding will look great when it was first installed, but later, it can start to look dingy over time. With pollen, dirt, and the occasional mildew, you can end up with siding that looks nothing like before. To keep your home looking good and maintain your curb appeal, it is important to clean it regularly. And if it needs to be repaired, be sure to call a siding contractor in Southgate Michigan first as cleaning siding that has cracks or other problems can end up damaging your home. Here are a few tips to make your home’s siding look much better and what you should do if you have any type of problems with the siding.

Tips for Cleaning Your Home’s Siding in Southgate Michigan Regardless Of Material

Not every siding material can be cleaned the same way. What works for one type of siding can end up damaging another. That is why it is important to know exactly what is needed to clean your specific siding on your home. We’ll outline the most popular types of siding in Downriver Michigan below and give tips on each about how to clean them and what works best.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is by far one of the easiest materials to clean. Vinyl siding is also one of the most popular siding materials used in Southgate Michigan. You can clean it using a pressure washer, or with a cloth or brush. The best solutions for cleaning vinyl siding is 2/3 water and 1/3 vinegar to remove stains and avoid harmful chemicals. You can also use a vinyl siding cleaner like Simple Green to do the job. If you have issues with mildew or mold on your vinyl siding, you can use Windex or Fantastik to help eradicate the problem.

Wood Siding

Wood is a porous material that can easily absorb moisture. This is why you need to avoid using a pressure washer or water hose on your wood siding. Instead, you should use cleaners like oxygen bleach or organic stain solvers. You should avoid chlorine bleach and other harsh chemicals because it can destroy the coloring of your siding. Wood siding typically requires the most maintenance to keep it looking great. Not just cleaning but you may also need to treat, seal, and paint wood siding to ensure it keeps it’s appearance.  

Aluminum Siding

Aluminum is very similar to vinyl when it comes to cleaning. You can use a brush or soft cloth to clean your siding, and vinegar solutions or general cleaners work great. You can also use a cleaner designed to be used on aluminum siding. Windex and Fantastik should be used on mold and mildew. Aluminum siding is more commonly used in commercial applications.

Fiber Cement Siding

While fiber cement siding is incredibly durable and long lasting, a big reason it is possible is because of the regular maintenance done on it. This includes proper cleaning of the siding a few times a year.

To clean fiber cement siding, you should use a soft cloth or brush and water to remove any dirt and dust. If there is grease or more complex stains than the standard dirt and dust, you should use water and dawn with a soft cloth. Mold and mildew can be removed with a cleaner specifically for mold and mildew, a soft cloth and a water hose.

Engineered Wood Siding

Engineered wood siding will need to first be cleaned with a pressure washer. Then, the siding should be sprayed down with a solution of ¼ bleach and ¾ water. Let that sit for around thirty minutes and then rinse it off thoroughly. You can them clean more difficult spots with a mild laundry detergent and water with a brush. If there are any harder to clean spots, you may need to sand them.

Steel Siding

To clean steel siding you should avoid most chemicals at all cost. This is because it can cause corrosion and impact your siding’s durability. Instead, you should use a pressure washer to clean off your siding. If there are still stains, you can use a 1/3 cup of  natural laundry detergent per six gallons of water and a cloth. For mold and mildew, you can use a 1 to 3 ration of bleach and water.

What if There is Damage?

When your home’s siding is damaged in any way getting it repaired should be the priority before cleaning. When cleaning you may spray the siding with water and when there is a problem on the siding that water can lead to all sorts of damage. Be sure to call a reputable contractor in Southgate Michigan such as All Point Construction for siding repairs on your home.