Clean siding makes your home look fresh, new and well-maintained. This is one area of home cleaning that people often forget about because the dirt builds up slowly over time. How often should I clean my residential siding, and what will that process entail? Learn these answers and more in this residential siding cleaning guide.
How Often Should I Clean My Siding?
For most homes, exterior cleaning should occur once or twice a year. There are several factors that may adjust that timeframe though. For instance, a home with brick siding may not need to be cleaned as often as a home with vinyl siding. That is because the brick disguises dirt better. Certain colors show dirt more than others, like white or dark blue. If your siding is beige, light grey, or tan, you may not notice dirt as often.
It’s Not Just About The Dirt
We focused on the visible issues of dirty siding above, but it’s also important to think about mildew that can form around molding. If it is cleaned properly, this will not grow into a serious problem. Even if your home looks clean on the outside, there could be issues lurking below the surface. Keep that in mind before you go several years without cleaning your siding.
How To Clean Residential Siding
The perfect cleaning method for your home will depend on the type of siding you have. Most siding can be power washed or scrubbed with a mixture of warm water and trisodium phosphate (TSP). If you have an older home with brittle siding, you may need to take a gentler approach. No matter what you choose to do though, work in 10-15 foot sections, starting from the roof line and working down to the ground.
Cleaning a home’s exterior is time consuming, and it can be costly if you do not have the equipment on hand. As an alternative, you could get your home professionally cleaned once a year. A team of experts will quickly clean off your siding using professional-grade equipment tailored to your needs. If you plan on selling your home in the near future, this is a great investment to keep in mind.
When Is The Best Time To Clean Residential Siding?
Ideally, you should clean your siding in the late spring and early summer. By then, Michigan is finished with its heavy storm season, so you don’t have to worry about excess rain and show dirtying up your siding. You could also get your siding cleaned in the fall, just before winter storms start to hit. Contact McLean Roofing And Siding to learn more about residential siding cleaning.