A Brand New (Looking) Home

For the past three years I’ve been professionally pressure washing homes. When cleaning siding, most homeowners crank up the pressure washer going to town on built-up algae. Unfortunately, believe it or not, blasting 3000 PSI water into your siding is not the safest way to remove organic growth. Today we’ll learn how to properly clean the outside of your home in a very satisfying way. Enjoy!

Soap Cleans, Pressure Doesn’t

When you take a shower, is it the soap or the water pressure that cleans your body? Of course it’s the soap. The siding of your home is no different. Sure, blasting away the pollen from your home makes it look clean, but at the cost of your paint, the siding is worse off.

Over the years, siding and paint becomes oxidized by the sun. Some paint is so oxidized that simply rubbing your fingers over it will cause it to brush off. Now think of the damage high pressure water will cause to that same paint. The photo below shows what happens when oxidized paint interacts with high pressure.

Introducing: DIY Softwashing

Let me tell you a secret pressure washers call “soft washing”. Soft washing is a lower pressure cleaning method that uses sodium hypochlorite “SH” (bleach) and water to remove organic material from the siding of your home in minutes. It’s cheap, easy to use, and the most effective way.

Most household bleach is a liquid 5% “SH”. When using bleach, it is very important to check the % on the bottle. Different siding types require different %’s.

• Vinyl, cement, or painted wood siding: 1-2%

• Brick 2-3%

• Unstained Wood: 2-3%

• Stucco: 3%

Depending on the siding type of your home, dilute the bleach down to the proper percentage with water. I.E if you have 5% bleach with a vinyl sided home, you’ll want to use 1 part bleach with 3 parts water.

1.) A Pump Sprayer

For a one-story house, porches, and small areas you can easily use a pump sprayer for the job. It’s not the most efficient but it is cheap. Make sure to wear glasses anytime you handle bleach. Bleach in your eyes can cause serious damage.

Fill your pump sprayer with the desired bleach ratio depending on your siding type. Spray the siding from the bottom to the top. Let it sit for a couple of minutes then rinse it off with fresh water from a hose. Pro tip: Wet all the windows down with fresh water before cleaning so they are cool to the touch. Bleach and hot glass can cause permanent etching which won’t come out. It’s best to cool the glass down before cleaning with the solution.

Another Option; Pre-mixed House Wash Cleaner

Another option to use with a pump sprayer is house washing mix from a hardware store. Here’s one choice that is the same as buying bleach and mixing it yourself: 30 SECONDS 1-Gallon Mold and Mildew Stain Remover Concentrated Outdoor Cleaner in the Outdoor Cleaners department at Lowes.com

2.) Garden Hose House Cleaner Attachment

I’ve never used this product before, but I have heard great reviews from it. It is not the cheapest as you’ll need to buy a couple of bottles to knock out an entire home. It is easy to use as you’ll only need a garden hose to attach it to. It’s the same idea as the pump sprayer. Spray from bottom to top, let it sit for a couple of minutes then rinse it off with fresh water.

Professional Advice & Tips

1. Bleach will damage your plants IF you don’t take the proper precautions. Protecting plants from the cleaning solution is as easy as watering them before and after applying the bleach. Simple as that.

2. Don’t use “plant safe cleaning solutions”. There is a product out there called “Simple Green” that doesn’t use bleach to clean the siding of homes. It’s expensive and works MAYBE half as well. It’s not worth the struggle and your time just to “save your plants”.

    

3. Always do a test spot on your siding before spraying an entire wall. In my time I have never had bleach react to paint. However, it can happen if you use organic paint pigments and it’s best to test a spot, so adverse reactions are contained.

4. Hire a professional if you aren’t comfortable. Professionals are here for a reason. We understand the mixing ratios and how to protect your property. It’ll cost a couple hundred dollars to get your house washed but it’s worth it in the end.

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