Attempting a thorough home exterior cleaning can seem like a daunting home improvement task. However, you might not realize that the best way to clean the outside of your house starts with a plan. House washing services by ClearView Home Services are a great start to making your home glisten like never before.
Home Exterior Cleaning: Identify Your Siding
Before you decide on what tools and solutions to gather for your home exterior cleaning project, you’ll want to identify the type of siding on your home. Different siding materials require specific solutions and pressure settings for cleaning. For example, vinyl siding can handle a harsh pressure wash, while something more delicate like wood siding and stucco will clean just fine under a garden hose.
Initial Cleaning
Before adding any cleaning agent to the home, it is best to dust the exterior. Wiping the surface free of lingering debris ensures that dirt won’t dampen and spread over the house. Dusting also collects other things such as cobwebs, dead bugs, rocks, and other particles that might be sitting on top of your exterior.
Dusting is essential if your property has recently undergone a construction project. Dust particles kicked up during a project can easily coat your home’s exterior. In addition, dusting saves time as a preventative measure before adding liquid.
It is easy to overlook the roof when cleaning a home’s exterior. Rather than dusting, sweeping is an excellent way to prepare the roof for cleaning. You’ll want to be sure you’re not home alone when sweeping the roof.
Pressure Washing and Soft Washing
Pressure Washing
Pressure and power washing are effective ways to clean a house’s siding. Pressure washing relies on the intensity of water flow to clear away dirt. A pressure washer is ideal for removing stubborn grime that won’t easily budge.
Pressure washers have a nozzle at the end of the hose for customizing the intensity of water pressure. The PSI (pounds per square inch) correlates between the type of nozzle and water flow to achieve the right amount of force. The higher the PSI, the stronger the water flow will be. Pressure washing is essential for home exterior cleaning.
Each setting is measured in degrees, with the higher numbers being more gentle and the lower numbers being more aggressive. An excellent starting point that is generally considered safe enough for most houses is 40 degrees. Never use a 0-degree setting unless you are a professional pressure washer.
Soft Washing
Soft washing is a much gentler way of cleaning a home that relies on chemicals to disinfect the house instead of water pressure. Different solutions range in ingredients, including bleach, surfactants, and algaecides. Soft washing solutions are generally best handled by professionals, like the ones at ClearView Home Services.
Residential soft washing can be done at home using a garden hose and dish soap. Dish soap alone will make it easier for dirt to stick to the surface, so scrubbing is vital for soft washing. Be sure that your hose has a scrub attachment if you’re using dish soap as a cleaning agent or mixing with other solutions.
Direction of Cleaning
Water direction is crucial for not leaving behind streaks during home exterior cleaning. Streaking happens when the water pressure is more concentrated in some areas than others. The neglected areas will show dirt against the clean lines, making for a striped mess.
If you’re using a pressure washer, you’ll first want to test a small area. Then, use the test to familiarize yourself with the different nozzles and loosen any lingering dirt. Once comfortable, you can start to spray from bottom to top and back down again.
A garden hose, or soft wash, offers more leniency in direction as the pressure is not as aggressive. When soft washing, you can spray the hose from side to side to loosen up dirt that pressure washing removes instantly.
After letting the solution sit for five to ten minutes, you’ll need to rinse. The most critical thing to do is rinse from top to bottom, no matter what tool it is. Rinsing from top to bottom ensures that all excess solution and dirt flow downward.
How ClearView Home Services Can Help
We understand that home exterior cleaning can be a hassle, so we’re here to help. ClearView Home Services has given quality assistance to over 3,000 customers for almost three decades. We specialize in customer service and retention.
ClearView Home Services offers a variety of superior knowledge and house washing tips. The best way to clean the outside of your house is to call us today for an estimate!
