Need Advise on Pressure Washing My House

[Scozz]

I built my home seven years ago and haven’t cleaned it yet. The vinyl is starting to look pretty dirty and the white flashing even worse. There’s quite a bit of vinyl to do … the home has a 42 x 60 footprint, two story with a 40 x 24 attached garage. I have a standard gas pressure washer 2450 psi with a siphoning wand. I never thought that siphoning detergent worked worth a bean. I was going to hit it with the pressure washer, brush with a diluted bleach solution (I love bleach it’s my cure-all!) and pressure wash again. Also have to wash the composite deck which is looking pretty dirty, Any bits of advise that could save me time, expense or head ache would be appreciated … Scozz

 

[Scozz]

I built my home seven years ago and haven’t cleaned it yet. The vinyl is starting to look pretty dirty and the white flashing even worse. There’s quite a bit of vinyl to do … the home has a 42 x 60 footprint, two story with a 40 x 24 attached garage. I have a standard gas pressure washer 2450 psi with a siphoning wand. I never thought that siphoning detergent worked worth a bean. I was going to hit it with the pressure washer, brush with a diluted bleach solution (I love bleach it’s my cure-all!) and pressure wash again. Also have to wash the composite deck which is looking pretty dirty, Any bits of advise that could save me time, expense or head ache would be appreciated … Scozz

 

[Nasty135]

Scozz, My advice would be to start with the siding dry, using a garden sprayer with your bleach/water mix 30/70 or there abouts spray one wall at a time (you will see the dark areas start to run off the siding),hopefully it won't dry before you can come back behind it with the pressure washer. Its best to have an overcast day or just adjust your method to stay in the shade for each wall...

I just did my rental house which hadn't been done in at least 5yrs and has one side which doesn't see any sun, It was green and black soaked it with the bleach mix ,hit it with pressure washer and it was as clean as a Safeway chicken /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you can pressure was before it dries you can forget about using the brush deal /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Oh BTW: wear some eye protection for bleach spray in the eyeballs /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif and a pair of your wifes favorite jeans /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif (kidding /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

Edit: the siphon deal isn't very good (IMO) in this method because it needs a few minutes to work before washing it off..

 

[Nasty135]

Scozz, My advice would be to start with the siding dry, using a garden sprayer with your bleach/water mix 30/70 or there abouts spray one wall at a time (you will see the dark areas start to run off the siding),hopefully it won't dry before you can come back behind it with the pressure washer. Its best to have an overcast day or just adjust your method to stay in the shade for each wall...

I just did my rental house which hadn't been done in at least 5yrs and has one side which doesn't see any sun, It was green and black soaked it with the bleach mix ,hit it with pressure washer and it was as clean as a Safeway chicken /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you can pressure was before it dries you can forget about using the brush deal /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Oh BTW: wear some eye protection for bleach spray in the eyeballs /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif and a pair of your wifes favorite jeans /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif (kidding /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

Edit: the siphon deal isn't very good (IMO) in this method because it needs a few minutes to work before washing it off..

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't have a preasure washer and don't know this for a fact, but on an episode of This Old House, they talked about preasure washing a wood sided house. They did a demonstration and washed off a bunch of grime and it looked realy nice when they were done. But then they pulled off the board and showed how much water got behind it!!! They had two points that they wanted to make. One, the preasure of the water will force the water in further than you'd expect, leaving it very moist. This is bad because of rot, insects and mold. The other point was that it takes anywhere from a few days to weeks until it's dry enough to paint because of all the moisture coming out.

I know your not painting and you don't have wood siding, but I do wonder how well your siding will do in keeping the water out under preasure. If water does get in behind the siding, can it cause any damage?

Again, I'm just speculating and reporting second hand information that might not even pertain to you.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't have a preasure washer and don't know this for a fact, but on an episode of This Old House, they talked about preasure washing a wood sided house. They did a demonstration and washed off a bunch of grime and it looked realy nice when they were done. But then they pulled off the board and showed how much water got behind it!!! They had two points that they wanted to make. One, the preasure of the water will force the water in further than you'd expect, leaving it very moist. This is bad because of rot, insects and mold. The other point was that it takes anywhere from a few days to weeks until it's dry enough to paint because of all the moisture coming out.

I know your not painting and you don't have wood siding, but I do wonder how well your siding will do in keeping the water out under preasure. If water does get in behind the siding, can it cause any damage?

Again, I'm just speculating and reporting second hand information that might not even pertain to you.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[CDsdad]

I cleaned my vinyl about 3 weeks ago. House is 3 years old and vinyl on top gables had never been cleaned. Tried bleach in a sprayer but wound up having to scrub with bleach mix and a brush. Parts I cleaned last year came clean with spray on solution and then pressure washing. Wife's happier with clean house. Gotta paint porch rails when I get home. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[CDsdad]

I cleaned my vinyl about 3 weeks ago. House is 3 years old and vinyl on top gables had never been cleaned. Tried bleach in a sprayer but wound up having to scrub with bleach mix and a brush. Parts I cleaned last year came clean with spray on solution and then pressure washing. Wife's happier with clean house. Gotta paint porch rails when I get home. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Humbleto]

Scozz, There is a product called Jomax found at Home Depot or that type store. It is used with water and bleach mixture in a pump up sprayer. Spray on, wait 10-15 minutes and hose down. You will be amazed, looks like it was just painted. You won't need to power wash unless you just want to.

 

[Humbleto]

Scozz, There is a product called Jomax found at Home Depot or that type store. It is used with water and bleach mixture in a pump up sprayer. Spray on, wait 10-15 minutes and hose down. You will be amazed, looks like it was just painted. You won't need to power wash unless you just want to.