Cleaning, Care and Maintenance of vinyl siding
Like any other product that is exposed to the outdoors,
vinyl weathers over time.
Chalking, mildew, and dirt can be removed from vinyl
siding with any number of commercial and homemade
cleaning solutions.
To avoid streaking, always clean vinyl siding from the
bottom to the top.
Over time, all siding will fade, or sun bleach, some more than others
Cleaning Vinyl Siding
vinyl siding resists most common household
stains, like oil and grease, but it will get dirty just like
anything else that is left outside. Chalk may also
accumulate on the surface. Chalking is normal and occurs
on any pigmented surface that is constantly exposed to
sunlight and the elements.
Soil, grime, and chalk are easy to remove with soap and
water. Especially stubborn stains can usually be removed
with cleaners like Fantastik,™ Formula 409,™ and Simple
Green.™ When you clean vinyl siding, work from the bottom
to the top to reduce streaking.
In some areas, mildew is a problem. Homeowners may
call with questions about “black spots,” especially in the
covered areas under eaves and porch enclosures.
Commercially available mildew cleaners are available at
good hardware stores.
Homeowners who prefer to mix their own cleaners can do
so, but they should be cautioned against changing the
proportions: Stronger proportions of TSP and/or bleach
may damage vinyl and polypropylene siding.
Mildew Cleaner
3 quarts water
1 quart household bleach
1/3 cup powdered laundry detergent
2/3 cup TSP (Soilax trisodium phosphate, for example)
These care and maintenance instructions are printed on
the back of the warranty booklet, which you should leave
behind after every job is completed.
Care and Maintenance
Exterior vinyl building materials require little maintenance
for many years. Nevertheless, common sense dictates that
builders and suppliers of vinyl products store, handle, and
install vinyl materials in a manner that avoids damage to
the product and/or the structure. Owners and installers
should take a few simple steps to protect vinyl building
materials from fire.
Fire Safety
Always keep sources of heat—grills and combustibles—
away from sided walls. Vinyl siding does melt
To Home and Building Owners
Rigid vinyl siding is made from organic materials and will
melt or burn when exposed to a significant source of flame
or heat. Building owners and occupants and outside
maintenance personnel should always take normal
precautions to keep sources of fire (for example,
barbecues) and combustible materials (like dry leaves,
mulch and trash) away from vinyl siding.
To the Building Trades
When rigid vinyl siding is exposed to significant heat or
flame, the vinyl will soften, sag, melt or burn and may
expose the material underneath. Care must be exercised
when selecting underlayment materials because many
underlayment materials are made from organic materials
that are combustible. You should ascertain the fire
properties of underlayment materials prior to installation.
All building materials should be installed in accordance
with local, state, and federal building codes and fire
regulations.
Excessive Weathering
Everything “weathers,” and the slight color
changes, fading, even chalking that all outdoor exposures
undergo are considered normal. Problems occur when
damaged siding, incorrectly installed accessories (flashing,
gutters, or soffit), or blow-off necessitate replacing siding.
Siding that has been exposed to the weather will always
look “faded” next to new siding.