So here we are, it’s the first day of spring!  If you’re like many people, at least one of the associations with spring is “cleaning.”  Here are some thoughts on Do’s and Don’ts for cleaning your house ‘on the outside’:
Pressure washers are used widely in cleaning the exterior of your property, but they do not lend very well to vinyl siding and aluminum siding products.  They are great for hard surfaces like concrete brick and other masonry, but if used at full pressure, it will force water behind the vinyl and aluminum siding products and that’s not the goal.
Your better option is to use an exterior cleaning product that typically includes bleach, and application is very easy.  Simply put your cleaning solution in a garden sprayer and at very low pressure, mist it onto the siding, trim, and gutters, and other exterior surfaces.  Typically, all that is required is to then rinse it with garden hose water pressure.  If mildew stains persist, a second application with some scrubbing perhaps will help remove the balance.
In most cases, all of this can be done from the ground, which means unlike using a pressure washer at second-floor levels, you don’t have the risk of falling.
My favorite exterior cleaning product is called JoMax. With the appropriate amount of bleach and water added, 1 gallon of JoMax provides 20 gallons of cleaning solution.  Otherwise, on your brick, concrete, and masonry surfaces, you can go to town with a pressure washer and enjoy a nice, clean home to welcome springtime