Cheap and Easy Vinyl Siding Cleaner

Even low-maintenance vinyl siding needs to be cleaned from time to time. Luckily, cleaning your vinyl siding is easy and affordable. In fact, you may have everything you need already.

The first step is to decide how you want to apply the cleaner. Homeowners typically choose between two methods: power washing or brush and bucket.

Power washing can be quicker and easier, but you will likely have to shell out some cash for a rental. Power washers can also be a bit too powerful for old or fragile siding.

The trusty old brush and bucket method takes longer to complete and requires considerably more elbow grease. However, scrubbing by hand gives you more control over the pressure and direction of the force.

Vinyl Siding Cleaner Recipes

Power washing
If you're power washing, you can buy commercial vinyl siding cleaners at most home improvement stores. But if you're looking for something even cheaper and easier, use one of the following options:

A standard cleaning mixture of liquid dish soap and water will remove most dirt and debris.
For heavier jobs or mildew problems, fill the tank with bleach and water in a 5:1 ratio. Use oxygenated bleach, if possible, to avoid impacting soil and plants in the cleaning area.

Brush and bucket washing

Create your own vinyl siding cleaner by mixing one gallon of water with 1/3 cup of powdered laundry detergent and 2/3 cup of tri-sodium phosphate, a product designed to remove oily residue.
To get rid of mildew issues, try a commercial cleaner like Windex first. If that doesn't work, combine one gallon of water with a quart of oxygenated bleach, 1/3 cup of powdered laundry detergent, and 2/3 cup of powdered household cleaner such as borax or Spic & Span.

Whichever vinyl siding cleaner and method you use, make sure you don't put it off too long. Vinyl siding has a low-maintenance reputation, but low maintenance doesn't mean no maintenance.

Cheap and Easy Vinyl Siding Cleaner

Additional Resources

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