If your house’s exterior has stains, you may be wondering what is the most effective way to remove them. Pressure washing is an effective way to clean your exterior walls and flooring. Below, we explain how to get rid of stains on your home with exterior pressure washing.
What to Do Before Pressure Washing House
Before trying exterior pressure washing, remove stains with hot water and soap. Inspect your home’s exterior before you start scrubbing. Find stains you can remove without a pressure washer or garden hose. You can clean most stains with water, a scrub brush, and dishwashing soap. Don’t use heavy cleaners, because they can damage plants.
Next, to remove tougher stains like mildew, use a mixture that includes water, oxygen bleach, and dishwashing liquid. Fill a bucket with one gallon of water, a quarter cup of oxygen bleach, and a one-eighth cup of dishwashing liquid. Dip a scrub brush in it and scrub the mildew until it lifts. Be careful with bleach – protect your eyes and hands and use it somewhere with good ventilation.
When washing your house, clean the exterior with a garden hose. Purchase siding cleaning kits with nozzles. It’s OK to use just water for cleaning it if your home isn’t filthy. Otherwise, you’ll need a cleaner. Siding kits should include a place to put the cleaner on the attachment.
How to Pressure Wash Your House’s Exterior
- Before you start exterior pressure washing, secure the area around your home.
- Close the windows and doors. Protect exterior lights, vents, and sockets with plastic sheeting and duct tape. Remove lawn furniture from your home. Use plastic sheeting to cover plants. Keep kids and pets inside when you use a pressure washer.
- Choose the appropriate nozzle. Nozzle measurements usually come in degrees. The lower the nozzle, the stronger the spray is. Start low if you have no experience pressure washing a house’s exterior. Forty degrees is a good start. You can reduce the angle to 25 degrees if the 40-degree nozzle isn’t strong enough.
- Test the pressure washer on a small section of your home. Pressure washing can damage a house, particularly if the siding is weak. Spray it on a small, hidden area. Consider using a garden hose or contacting a professional if it causes damage.
- Start pressure washing by spraying down, spraying up causes water to collect in cracks and seams, which may lead to future damage. If you’re using a cleanser, work from the top down, you should be able to pressure wash a house with just water, but spray it from the top down when you use a cleaner. Rinse it off after you’ve finished pressure washing.