Make Your Vinyl Siding Look New

Now that spring is here, you may notice your vinyl siding and gutters have collected a layer of winter grunge. Here’s how to clean them up like new.

Use a garden hose and water, or attach a long-handled car-washing brush to the hose. To prevent streaking, start at the bottom and work up. For stubborn dirt, wipe down the siding with a solution of one-third cup biodegradable powdered laundry detergent, two-thirds cup biodegradable household cleaner, such as Simple Green, and one gallon of water. Then rinse with clear water. Wear protective clothing, including rubber gloves, and protect nearby plants and shrubs with garbage bags.

If you apply the cleaning solution from a ladder, center your hips between the ladder sides with both feet and one hand on the ladder at all times. Avoid power lines and don’t reach too far and lose your balance.

Or, rather than to use a ladder, rent a pressure washer. Be sure to have someone at your rental store show you how to use the machine safely. Used incorrectly, a pressure washer has so much power that it can damage property.

Some people paint their vinyl siding and gutters. The disadvantage is that they lose the best feature of vinyl—low maintenance. Think twice before you paint. Once you apply paint, you’re committing yourself to a long future of painting.

If you do decide to paint, wipe down the surface with denatured alcohol. Be careful, because the fumes are toxic. Then apply a light coat of vinyl siding paint primer. Cover the siding or gutter exteriors with an exterior latex or vinyl siding paint. Don’t use an oil-base paint on vinyl.