JUNE 10 2020 • Volume 15 • Issue 24
RE WEEKLY RESIDENTIAL • ACREAGE • FARM • COMMERCIAL • AREA DEVELOPMENT 515-233-3299 • 317 5th Street, Ames • All REALTOR® ads within are REALTORS® licensed in the State of Iowa
Online at www.AmesTrib.com/realestateweekly
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Power cleaning A simple guide to washing a home’s siding By Laura Firszt
Cleaning specific types of soil • Surface dirt and dust. Apply a cleaning solution of dish liquid and warm water with leaning siding is a quick and a handheld garden sprayer. Scrub gently affordable way to brighten up using a soft brush. A pole-mounted brush your house exterior. Just make will help you to clean the siding higher sure that you choose an appropriup. Rinse off with your garden hose. ate cleaning method that won’t harm your • Mold, mildew and algae. Clean as above, siding, yet will get rid of dirt and stains. scrubbing in a side-to-side motion. If this Follow these tips to clean siding sucisn’t sufficient, wash with a mild bleach or cessfully and keep it looking good longer. oxygen bleach solution. (Test this cleaning solution first on an inconspicuous To pressure wash or part. Do not apply bleach to aluminum not to pressure wash? siding, because it can change the color.) There is a great debate over whether • Oxidation. Vinyl siding is prone to fadyou can safely clean siding with a presing and oxidation, which results in a chalky sure washer. So what’s the answer? appearance. Clean the siding; then apply a Yes, it is very possible to pressure vinyl restoration product according to the wash siding without doing damage IF manufacturer’s instructions. Badly faded you keep these three points in mind: vinyl may be painted with exterior acrylic. 1.Use correct pressure. A pressure washer • Soot. First, sweep any loose soot off is great for hard surfaces like asphalt but your siding with a dry broom. Next, dangerous to softer items such as window wipe the area using a dry cleaning screens. Wood and vinyl siding fall somesoot sponge. Follow with an applicawhere in the middle, meaning that power tion of commercial soot remover or washing can be great - when done at low degreaser. Rinse as the final step. pressure (1,300-1,500 PSI), with a wide tip on • Graffiti. The sooner you remove grafthe pressure wand and very carefully. fiti from your siding, the easier cleanup 2. Avoid potential water damage. If the preswill be. Apply a solvent with a clean rag, sure washer is handled incorrectly, a and take care to avoid smudging the grafstrong stream of water may be directed fiti paint or marker. (Next time you paint under the siding, which is very bad news. your house, consider a high-gloss finish, 3.Don’t put yourself at risk. Consider which is more resistant to vandalism.) the height of your home. It is dangerous for you, as an amateur, to attempt Laura Firszt writes for networx.com. to maneuver a pressure washer while perched on a ladder. A telescoping wand with a support belt can help you pressure wash higher, but is on the pricey side. RECOMMENDATION: If siding is lightly soiled, DIY cleaning with a garden hose works well. For tough stains or if you have a multistory house, hire a pro to pressure wash. More Content Now
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Simple maintenance tips
1.
Clean siding every 1-2 years, more frequently in humid climates that foster mildew and algae. The best season is spring, to remove winter’s grime.
2.
Promptly repair any siding that is loose, cracked, dented or otherwise damaged.
3.
Stain and seal or paint your home’s exterior regularly (unless you have vinyl siding, which does not require finishing).
4.
Prune nearby trees and shrubs to avoid sap stains and mildew
growth.
5.
Barbecue at least 10 feet from the house. Your grill’s heat is especially hazardous to wood, aluminum and vinyl siding.
6.
Position lawn sprinklers so that their spray does not hit your exterior walls.
7.
Clear your gutters regularly and adjust the downspouts to drain rain and snowmelt away from siding.
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