Best Way to Clean Mold From Siding

Mold and mildew on vinyl siding is a natural occurrence in areas that have high humidity.  This is caused by the vegetation releasing sugars in the air that mixes with dirt and pollen which land on your siding.  This become becomes the perfect food source for mold and mildew.  While removing mold from your siding can take time, it is pretty simple for you follow these few steps.

1. Rinse your siding using a pressure washer - While this can be done using a standard garden hose, it will go much faster if you use a pressure washer.  If you do not own one consider renting one for the day.  The pressure washer will remove any additional dirt and cobwebs.  Be careful of any wasp nests that be under your eaves.

2. Mix your cleaning solution - While there are many over-the-counter solutions that will clean mold from your siding, you can use a solution of:

• One cup of household bleach


• One-fourth cup of dish detergent


• One gallon of water

This is just as effective as the over-the-counter products and is not as harsh to the siding.  Place this in a bucket.  You will need a long handled brush such as the ones that are used on RVs.  These can be purchased at most big box stores or rented at a rent-all company.  Using your brush, test your solution on a small corner of the siding to ensure that it does not bleach it or have any other type of adverse reaction.  Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes and then rinse off.

3. Cover any furniture or vegetation prior to spraying your cleaning solution - Run-off will not harm your plants but since you are using a diluted bleach you do not want to risk damage to your furniture.

4. Dip your brush into your solution and scrub small sections - Scrubbing sections that are approximately 5 x 5 ft.  Start at the top and work your way down. Once you have scrubbed the section rinse with your pressure washer.  Repeat if any mold or mildew remains.  Always ensure that you are spraying from top to bottom to ensure that excessive water does not get behind the siding.

5. Move to the next section and repeat