Siding, or cladding is the exterior walling of a building. It’s usually one of the first things people see and keeping it in good condition is essential to making a good first impression. In this article we’ll briefly discuss the benefits of cleaning your sidings. Then we’ll discuss the actual process you undertake to make sure you have the best sidings on your street. Learning how to clean them yourself will save you a lot of money, professional crews charge between $300 and $500 to clean sidings.
Before we discuss how to best clean your sidings, let’s first briefly look at why this is important. Cleaning your sidings regularly makes your house look better. Real estate agents say that clean sidings can raise the house value. Additionally, it removes mildew and extends the life of the siding while avoiding replacements and saving you money. These benefits, along with many others, flow directly from regularly cleaning your sidings.
Now that you understand the importance of regular maintenance of your sidings, let’s talk about how to do it. First make up a soapy mixture by combining trisodium phosphate (TSP) with 3.7 litres of water, stir until it forms a soapy mixture. TSP is available at most hardware shops and grocery stores. Next, using a soft bristle brush, scrub the sidings. Work from the bottom to the top to avoid streaking and rinse the sidings often. This simple method may take a long time; however, the result is worth it. While you’re cleaning you should also look for any damage to the siding. This can appear as cracks, chips or crumbling mortar joints. Damaged sidings are susceptible to water damage which can lead to mold forming in the walls which can cause illness. To repair any damaged sidings, you find simply patch over any cracks or holes with a sealant. If, while cleaning, you find any black marks that are resistant to soap, this might be a sign of mildew. To see whether it is mildew, dab some bleach onto it. If it disappears it is mildew. To remove it use a solution of one-part bleach four parts water. Make sure that cover your mouth with a mask to prevent fumes from causing sickness. Once you’ve finished rinse the boards thoroughly with water.
Once you’ve done this you should have clean sidings. This process can take two to four days to complete if you haven’t cleaned in a while. If you clean more regularly the process will take less time. It is recommended that you clean your sidings at least once a year. Regular maintenance is the best way to extend the life and beauty of your sidings.
This article has told you everything you need to know about cleaning your sidings. The benefits of regularly maintaining your sidings was discussed. Then the process of cleaning was explained. Finally, we looked at how often you should clean sidings. Using this article as your guide you can take care of your sidings long into the future.
