Cleaning Vinyl Siding

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To clean vinyl siding, use a long-handled brush with soft bristles (such as a car washing brush) and a handle that fastens onto the end of the hose. Avoid using stiff bristle brushes or abrasive cleaners, which may change the vinyl’s gloss and cause the siding to look splotchy.

When cleaning soot and dust from the house, use the following cleaning solution, starting at the bottom and working up to the top in order to prevent streaking:

  • 1/3 cup powdered laundry detergent, such as Fab®, Tide®, or equivalent*
  • 2/3 cup powdered household cleaner, such as Soilax®, Spic &Span®, or equivalent*
  • 1 gallon water

To remove mildew, add 1 qt. liquid laundry bleach to the solution above. Clean stubborn stains using the recommended cleaners shown in the figure below.

Stain Cleaners for Vinyl Siding
Stain Cleaner {{fn|Cleaning materials are listed in alphabetical order}}
Bubble Gum (70%) Fantastik®, Murphy’s Oil Soap® or solution of vinegar (30%) + water
Crayon Lestoil®
Oil-based caulk Fantastik®
Felt-tip pen Fantastik®, Lysol®, Murphy’s Oil Soap®, or Windex®
Lipstick Fantastik® or Murphy’s Oil Soap®
Lithium grease Fantastik®, Lestoil®, Murphy’s Oil Soap®, or Windex®
Mold and mildew (30%) Fantastik® or solution of vinegar + water (70%)
Motor oil Fantastik®, Lysol®, Murphy’s Oil Soap®, or Windex®
Oil Soft Scrub®
Paint Brillo® Pad or Soft Scrub®
Pencil Soft Scrub®
Rust Fantastik®, Murphy’s Oil Soap®, or Windex®
Tar Soft Scrub®
Soil Fantastik®, Lestoil®, or Murphy’s Oil Soap®


To learn more about installing and maintaining vinyl siding, visit the JLC Field Guide.

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