Cleaning vinyl siding (and other stuffs)

kcult

kcult

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I thought I saw a thread on this already, but heat stroke and fumes have decreased my search abilities.

I decided to use some of this day off from work to finally clean the vinyl on the front of my house. Height and lack of motivation were my main obstacles. Well, I have two ladders and I'm tired of it looking like crap, so here we are.

The gear I'm using:

Goggles
Respirator mask
Ladders
Back pack sprayer (4 gal.)
Plastic sheeting
Scissors
Cell phone (with 91 dialed in and my thumb hovering over the 1 in case I slip)

The concoction in the back pack sprayer:

32 oz. of TSP

f1f8d2717d57de65ad8b17dacf31132f.jpg


A half gallon of bleach
The remainder of the sprayer topped off with water.

Prep work involved:

Mix the stuff
Cover the wife's shrubs with plastic sheeting
Move the ladders in place
Don glasses and mask
Slip into the back pack sprayer while singing the Ghostbusters song
Spray and pray

Part way through:

20170529_134735.jpg

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to get on the roof to get the highest point. I decided to make this post before I did, just in case. My daughter is napping. I told her if I fall off the roof, I'll try not to wake her.

Oh, the other stuffs referenced in the title is camper fabric. I wish I had before and after pics and I've since sold the camper, but this same mixture worked awesome at cleaning mildew stains from it when I allowed water to get in and sit for six months.
 
I was going to say a nice car wash brush on a pole sometimes helps knock stuff loose but you look like your doin just fine..... you can do my house next.
 
So you just spray it on and rinse it off? No scrubbing? I didn't see a brush in your materials list.
 
No brushing.

I tried my pressure washer on it a few months ago and it didn't even make a dent in the stains.
 
3ought2 said:
Spray and rinse, hell yeah. I'm making a note of this, thanks.
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The TSP is a no-rinse cleaner, but it's in there with bleach. Probably not a bad idea to rinse. I'm getting the hose now (and a beer) to"wash" it.
 
I did want to add that the TSP I used is TSP substitute. Whatever that means. It says it on the bottle. I've just been calling it TSP.

And the recipe I used is printed on the bottle. I was sold on it after seeing the results in my camper.

Of course, it could have just been the bleach. :oops:
 
Our vinyl is more of a tan color and for the life of me I can't get the chalkiness off. It looked worse after I washed it than before.
 
fuelpiper said:
Our vinyl is more of a tan color and for the life of me I can't get the chalkiness off. It looked worse after I washed it than before.
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I'm noticing a chalky residue left behind where it splattered on glass. I still haven't rinsed it off the vinyl and I'm wondering if leaving might prohibit new stains from forming too quickly.

I still need to rinse the glass.
 
Wonder how it would work on wood...all our fascia is wood.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Mix Bleach and water. No stronger than 1/4, and rinse any chemical, even that no rinse stuff. Bleach will take it off within a minute. Rinse and repeat until it's clean.

Don't let that stuff set on the metal trim. I've been seeing a lot of coil stock paint peeling off on this newer stuff the last few years, and the companies are not standing behind the product, claiming improper cleaning and use of chemicals. I've replaced trim on two houses this year for free of labor, customer bought metal. Seems to start at the joints.

Oh and don't use a pressure washer on your Vinyl Siding. If you do only the one for long stream to reach the gabbles, no high pressure. Water and bleach mixture in a spray bottle and a water hose is the proper way to clean Siding.

IMG_0569.JPG
 
I used the "30second" stuff from Lowes, it's a commercial bleach. Don't wear anything you don't want jacked and tie dyed looking. 1 gal. Stuff Makes 2 gal. Mix.
Spray on , watch the goo and stains run down the siding.
Wait a few mins. Rinse.
It left my vinyl with a shine.
 
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kcult said:
Unfortunately, I'm going to have to get on the roof to get the highest point. I decided to make this post before I did, just in case. My daughter is napping. I told her if I fall off the roof, I'll try not to wake her.
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What size ladder is that? Looks like you'd get awful close. Maybe you can borrow a taller one? I have a 12' step ladder (if that's an 8' pictured) that may work.
 
Great info! I was planning on doing this myself since I've got one corner that never gets sunlight so it's starting to look exactly like yours.
 
BigWaylon said:
What size ladder is that? Looks like you'd get awful close. Maybe you can borrow a taller one? I have a 12' step ladder (if that's an 8' pictured) that may work.
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I forgetted to reply to this, but that is an 8' step ladder. I tried a 12' straight ladder, but the mixture was raining back down on me.

Methinks I should invest in a 12' step ladder. It should be perfect.
 
The inside of my other camper top for the truck used to get dark with mildew stains. I started spraying it down with a bleach solution and it was white as snow!
 
Unknownpro said:
View attachment 11006 I use this stuff. No scrub, get it at lowes.

Works awesome. Seems to work better when it's hot outside.
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I use the same stuff, I just to use Jomax and it worked great but this stuff works great without mixing bleach with it and it works ALMOST as well
 
Thanks for all of the info guys. I have the same issue on one side of my house, as do all of my neighbors, but with only an 8ft ladder and a two story home, I need one of the hose end spray options.

@Unknownpro how well does that stuff reach to a second story?
 
Jerzsubbie said:
Thanks for all of the info guys. I have the same issue on one side of my house, as do all of my neighbors, but with only an 8ft ladder and a two story home, I need one of the hose end spray options.

@Unknownpro how well does that stuff reach to a second story?
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I didn't have any issue hitting my gutters on a 2nd story. Just need decent hose pressure to make that happen.

Also seemed to work better when it was real hot outside. Used it once in the late evening and it was cooling off and it seemed to not work as well. But maybe it was me.
 
waxhaw said:
Jomax & bleach and follow the directions. Works great every time.
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Great stuff..... one container of JoMax lasts a long time. I've never had any problems using it, and no pressure washer needed.

I wonder if the OP can get some Batman tools from ACME....... launch a hook to the roof, propel upward, spray away and repel back down.

Maybe get some rednecks on the roof, one holding the others feet while hanging upside down.... now that would be entertaining.
 
Jerzsubbie said:
Thanks for all of the info guys. I have the same issue on one side of my house, as do all of my neighbors, but with only an 8ft ladder and a two story home, I need one of the hose end spray options.
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You're probably not far from me. I have a 12' step ladder and a 28' extension ladder if you want to borrow one or both.
 
BigWaylon said:
You're probably not far from me. I have a 12' step ladder and a 28' extension ladder if you want to borrow one or both.
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I appreciate the offer! If the hose end spray deal doesn't work out I'll take you up on that.
 
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