Every day your home’s exterior fights a battle against fungus. Mold and mildew spores drift through the air, looking for damp places to live. Once the fungus lands on your home, it takes less than two days to mature.
Fungus feeds on the cellulose from wooden building materials. When it lands on your home’s siding, the fungus grows roots to stay in place. These roots, hyphae, burrow into the building materials and weakens them.
A thorough house exterior cleaning twice a year stops the fungus invasion. How you clean your home’s exterior could lead to more fungus damage, though. This guide shows you the right way to remove mold and mildew.
Safe Ways to Clean Siding
Homeowners have three popular siding options to chose from. Every type of siding needs a different cleaning method. If you pick the wrong cleaning method, it can rip off the siding or breed more mildew.
How to clean the different types of siding:
- Wood siding – Use a soft brush and warm, soapy water
- Brick siding – Use a regular hose and gentle water pressure
- Vinyl siding – Use a hose to rinse off the dirt and a soft brush to remove stains
Whatever method you chose, make sure to limit how much water stays on the siding. If it’s possible, wash the siding when the sun hits it. This way the siding dries before fungus spores mature and grow roots.
How to Clean Stucco Without Ruining It
Stucco siding uses various materials to give your home’s exterior an interesting texture. Unfortunately, stucco’s texture leaves it vulnerable to damage during your annual cleaning.
A pressure washer is stucco’s worst enemy. Set on high, a commercial pressure washer will strip the texture off your walls. Repairing damaged stucco takes a skilled hand to ensure it sticks and looks right.
Treat your stucco right with a gentle power wash. Pick up a low-pressure cleaning system that works with warm, soapy water. Start at the wall’s base and work your way up to the roof.
The Best Way to Clean a Driveway
Driveways collect oil, dirt, and other stains like rust throughout the year. Too many stains turn your driveway into a value-reducing eyesore.
Power washing is the fastest way to take care of a dirty driveway. The trick to doing it right is using the right pressure setting and nozzle. For the best results, use a 25* angle nozzle and around 2000 PSI.
Try using your power washer to clean the walkways and porch to save time. Read on here to learn other ways power washing protects your home from damage.
House Exterior Cleaning Cuts Back on Your Repair Bills
Years of mold and mildew growth in your home can lead to serious structural damage. Fungus roots hidden in the building materials do as much damage as termites.
Save yourself from an expensive repair bill and remove the fungus twice a year. It costs a few dollars for house exterior cleaning supplies and a washer rental. Reframing an exterior wall costs well over ten times more than twice-annual cleaning.
Ready to upgrade your home’s exterior? Browse our blog to learn about the latest trends in home and garden decorating.
