Cleaning Your Home's Vinyl Siding Using Household Ingredients
If your home's vinyl siding has grown dingy because of dust and mildew, you may decide to clean it, but don't want to run another errand to grab a commercial cleaner. If so, use the following directions for cleaning the dirt, mold and mildew off your siding using household ingredients.
What You Will Need
Gather the supplies below before you get started.
- Pressure washer or garden hose with a spray nozzle
- Two one-gallon buckets
- Pair of vinyl or rubber gloves
- Safety glasses
- One cup of warm water
- Two cups of borax laundry additive
- Two cups of white distilled vinegar
- Five tablespoons of tea tree oil
- Long-handled mop
The borax and white distilled vinegar are effective at removing dirt and killing mold and mildew growing on the side of your house. When working with the borax, make sure you wear gloves and eye protection, as it can irritate your skin and eyes if it comes into contact with them.
The tea tree oil is a natural fungicide that also kills mold and mildew. The residual oil left can also protect against the growth of new spores.
Instructions
Once you have everything you need, follow the instructions below to clean your siding.
- Spray the side of your house using the pressure washer or a spray nozzle set on a hard stream to remove excess dust, dirt and fungal growth.
- Put on your gloves and safety glasses.
- In the bucket, combine the water, vinegar and borax. Let the borax dissolve for about 15 minutes.
- Add the tea tree oil, stirring well to fully disperse it throughout the solution.
- Saturate the mop with the cleaner, then start scrubbing the vinyl siding. Start at the top to allow the cleaner to run down the unscrubbed areas.
- Once you have covered one side of your home, let the cleaner sit for about 30 minutes to allow the ingredients to penetrate the grime.
- Fill another bucket with clean water, and use the mop to wipe off the siding.
- Rinse the siding with the pressure washer or hose.
- Repeat the above steps for each side of your house.
Using the above cleaning solution several times a year can help keep the outside of your home clean and free from mold or mildew. However, if you have areas that have been damaged or cannot be cleaned, you may want to speak with a vinyl siding specialist, such as Cornerstone Home Improvement, about either having your vinyl siding professionally cleaned or partially replaced.