How To Pressure Wash Siding

Find the Right Pressure Washer.

Don't be intimidated by the power of a pressure washer. Pressure washers are easy to operate and provide significantly more pressure than your garden hose to give your home a complete cleaning.

Choosing a suitable pressure washer is easy. An electric pressure washer packs enough punch for one-story homes to get the first floor sparkling.

For two-story homes, homeowners should consider a gas-powered pressure washer to reach high, hard-to-reach spots.

Getting a pressure washer is only the first step. Follow these six additional tips for getting your vinyl siding to radiate cleanliness.


1. Use Pressure Washer Detergent.

Don't forget to accessorize. Soap and water are always a better cleaning combination than water alone.

Most pressure washers come with an injector to mix cleaning solutions into the jet stream.

Only use solvents that say "approved for pressure washer use" on the label. Unapproved solvents may not be environmentally sound and could eat away at critical pressure washer components.


2. Apply The Detergent Solution.

Apply the soap mixture under low pressure with smooth, overlapping strokes. To prevent streaking, start from the bottom and work your way up. Pressure washing is a lot like painting. You're bound to miss a spot if you get "hose happy" and randomly spray everything.

If you have a multi-story house, you should consider using Campbell Hausfeld's High-Pressure Soap Lance. Most pressure washers only spray soap under low pressure. The new lance sprays detergent up to 25 feet under high pressure.


3. Use A Pressure Washer Brush For Tough Spots.

If your home hasn't been cleaned in a while, use a rotating or utility brush to help loosen thick layers of dirt.

The brush simply snaps to the end of the pressure washer wand. Best of all, it acts as a foaming brush, emitting a soapy solution as you clean.


4. Let It Settle Before Rinsing.

Why bother using a solution if you don't give it time to work? It's okay to allow the soap mixture to sit for five to 10 minutes, as long as it doesn't dry.


5. Start From A Distance.

Pressure washers are designed to pack a punch. If you spray too closely, you could damage, instead of clean, the area. Hold the wand a couple of feet from the surface and gradually move closer if additional cleaning power is needed.


6. Spray Your Siding Clean.

Be careful not to spray directly at eaves, vents, or light fixtures. High water pressure can knock out loose windowpanes or break them. Also, keep the angle of the wand pointing down so you don't spray up under the laps of the horizontal siding. This will prevent the vinyl siding from buckling under pressure. When rinsing, start at the top and work down to ensure the entire area is soap free.

Pressure washers are a blast to use. Best of all, they work extremely fast, so you can spend more time admiring your work than actually doing it. In addition, pressure washers have lots of other handy uses around the home - from stripping paint to cleaning your deck to scrubbing your sidewalks.