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dawnsmith_gw

Mold on Vinyl siding!?!?

DawnSmith
10 years ago

I have vinyl siding and the under lips have mold/mildew growing. This is just on the north side of my house. Any ideas why this is happening and how to fit it? Thanks

Comments (7)

  • klem1
    10 years ago

    Quite normal where siding is shaded. You can buy vinyl siding wash for use with brush or power washer.

  • ionized_gw
    10 years ago

    TSP and bleach should work well.

  • christine1950
    10 years ago

    Try to get the dirt away from the house if thats what is there now and put down stone so you have better drainage, thats what we had do to in one of the houses I lived in.

  • energy_rater_la
    10 years ago

    you don't need a power washer, just a regular hose
    with sprayer.
    I get algae on the north side of my house each winter.
    my neighbor has a power washing buisness.
    he told me years ago that the bleach & soap were just
    for 'show' to simply wet with water the area...let is set for a few minutes and come back with a brush or broom to
    wash away the algae. (not mold...algae)

    I was glad to hear this...because bleach would kill the
    stuff in the flower beds.

    power washing can losen the vinyl and cause leaks.
    at 80psi...it isn't a good idea.
    last hurricane we had here winds were 70 mph..lots
    of folks had windows & doors that had never leaked,
    that leaked during the storm, only to not leak again.

    best of luck.

  • millworkman
    10 years ago

    Good advice and if you feel you really need cleaner, use Spic & Span mixed with water with a scrub brush plus your garden hose.

  • DawnSmith
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you everyone! Glad to hear this is normal and easy to wash! I was worried I had poorly installed siding or something defective!

  • ionized_gw
    10 years ago

    The mildew and lichen found at more Northerly climes is harder to kill and remove than the algae that we find in the South. I've never had any problem with plants with TSP and bleach, however, I've always wet them down before and rinsed well afterwards. If there is a problem, the foliage will be it because the bleach will be inactivated at soon as it hits the organic material in the soil.

    Agreed on the power washing issues. A couple of weeks ago I passed by a commercial building being power washed. They were working on a tallish single-story section from the ground. They were spraying straight under the flat-roof flashing.

    Just get a long-handled brush but be careful around your power drop. If you need to be working nearby that, avoid brushes with metal handles and metal ladders.