How To Clean Your Siding: Wood, Vinyl, Fiber Cement

Dirt, debris, mold, and mildew on your siding builds up over time. This results in your home looking a bit weathered. Cleaning your siding every spring will keep your home looking fresh.

Siding Cleaning Tips

Work your way from the top to the bottom of your siding.
Be very careful on your ladder!
Warm water with TSP (trisodium phosphate) will work for all siding.
Clean your siding in small manageable sections. This will keep you safe and ensure that you don’t miss any siding.

Can I have someone clean my home’s siding for me?

Yes, you can have your siding professionally cleaned. On average, a professional cleaner will cost you around $300 to $500. You can also rent a power washer to wash your siding, which costs around $50-$100.

Pressure Washing Tips:

Wear eye protection when using a pressure washer.
If you are using chemicals to clean your siding, consider wearing a respirator.
Only spray your siding, avoid any doors or windows
ALWAYS start the pressure washer on the lowest setting!

Cleaning Your Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding looks great, it’s affordable, and it is easy to clean. You can use a power washer to clean your vinyl siding, or you can do the old fashion way with a cloth/brush.

What should I use to clean my vinyl siding?

You can use a soft cloth and a brush with some water and vinegar to reduce most stains. The mixture is ⅔ water and ⅓ vinegar.
General cleaners like Simple Green® clean vinyl siding very well.
Fantastik® or Windex® work great against mold and mildew.

Cleaning Your Aluminum Siding

Aluminum siding is very similar to vinyl siding, and it can be cleaned the same way.

What should I use to clean my aluminum siding?

A soft cloth or brush with some water and vinegar to reduce most stains. (⅔ water and ⅓ vinegar)
General cleaners like Simple Green®
You can buy a designated aluminum siding cleaner.
Fantastik® or Windex® work great to get rid of mold/mildew.

Cleaning Your Fiber Cement Siding

Fiber cement siding is designed to be durable, though it does need some TLC every once in awhile. Living in Minnesota, you should take a look at your siding every year (and after every storm). Our climate is quite hard on siding. If you notice your siding is looking dirty or faded, give it a nice clean!

What should I use to clean my fiber cement siding?

James Hardie recommends:

Remove any dust/dirt with water and a soft cloth or brush.
For any grease or natural debris, use water, Dawn®, and a soft cloth.
If you see any mold or mildew, use a water hose, a mildew cleaner (like Mildew Check®) and a soft cloth.

For more info on Cleaning James Hardie® siding, click here

Cleaning Your Wood Siding

Cypress and cedar are commonly used for wood siding. Wood siding adds charm to a home. Moisture and mold are your wood siding’s worst nightmare. You should avoid using a pressure washer for this job unless you are confident in your abilities. Poorly executed pressure washing can harm your wood siding, strip paint, and trap moisture in your siding.

What should I use to clean my wood siding?

Some experts recommend oxygen bleach for your natural wood siding.
Try to stay away from natural oil stains. Nature’s elements will break down the chemicals, and the mildew will grow again.
You will want to avoid cleaners that contain chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite). This can destroy your siding color and harm vegetation.
There are many organic stain solvers out there that can pack a punch, while being nontoxic to the environment.

Find a cleaner that you feel comfortable using. Make sure not to harm the shingles in the cleaning process. While you are cleaning your siding, look for any siding issues like soft wood or mold.

Cleaning Your Steel Siding

Steel siding is a bit different than other sidings when it comes to cleaning. First of all, it requires different cleaners than vinyl or wood siding. It is also best to use a pressure washer on steel siding.