How long has it been since the siding on your home has been cleaned? If you're considering taking on this job yourself, there are some things that you should know. Here you'll find a few tips that can help make your siding pressure washing experience less dreadful and more successful.

Get to Know the Machine

If you're not experienced working with a pressure washer, take the time to read through the owner's manual. The manual will show you exactly how to operate the machine properly. Knowing the basics of operation should be enough knowledge to get through this fairly simple project.

The manual will tell you which pressure washer tip to use to clean different types of materials and items. If you were to use the wrong tip, you could end up damaging the siding or making more work for yourself.

Pretreat the Siding

Many people make the mistake of just taking the pressure washer and going straight to pressure washing. You need to coat the siding with a cleaning solution before you blast it with high-pressure water. This preparation will make the cleaning process much more successful.

The cleaning solution will help to soften the debris stuck to the surface, kill any mold, mildew or algae that is growing and expedite the overall cleaning process. The pressure washer likely has a holding tank for the cleaning solution and will have a specific tip you should use when applying the cleaning solution. Start at the highest point of the house and work your way down. This will prevent dirt from redistributing on the areas that you already have cleaned.  

Avoid Electrical Components

Be sure to avoid electrical outlets, air conditioning units and other electrical components when pressure washing. Yes, you can coat these features with overspray water without hurting anything, but avoid aiming the nozzle directly at the components.You could destroy the component, or even worse, get shocked.

Hire the Professionals

It will take you quite a while to get this task done right. If you don't have the time to get it all done, or lack the confidence or ability to get it done, know that there are professionals out there just waiting for you to call for help. J & A Steam Cleaning-Waste Water Recovery or a similar company in your area will get your house cleaned by removing any stains, and have everything looking great while you sit in your recliner planning your next project.

Good luck with cleaning the exterior of your home.