Simple Green Concentrated House and Siding Cleaner

You know something is a real pain to clean if people would rather throw it away and buy new ones.

Mini-blinds, however, aren't cheap. If you've even bought a new house, you know how expensive it is to cover every window in your house.

Over time, dust builds up on the blinds. Yes, your feather duster can remove the big particles, but it often leaves behind a thin film of dirt.

Your pressure washer can quickly restore your blinds to their original color. You should also consider using a rotating brush. It will quickly remove all of the particles stuck in those hard to pressure wash areas.

You know something is a real pain to clean if people would rather throw it away and buy new ones.

Mini-blinds, however, aren't cheap. If you've even bought a new house, you know how expensive it is to cover every window in your house.

Over time, dust builds up on the blinds. Yes, your feather duster can remove the big particles, but it often leaves behind a thin film of dirt.

Your pressure washer can quickly restore your blinds to their original color. You should also consider using a rotating brush. It will quickly remove all of the particles s... more

My house is largely constructed with a Hardy Plank exterior. The paint on the north side of the house was quite visible with mildew, and the neighborhood association sent me a letter about either repainting or cleaning the siding.

I had to do this a few years back and found the job quite a bit of work. I purchased a product by Zinsser named JoMax. The instructions on JoMax say to mix with Bleach and water.

I had to use a vehicle brush and a ladder and do a lot of climbing and overhead work with the brush....but the JoMaxBleach works extremely well. The paint looks like new.

So....I decided this time around I might find a detergent that would work through a sprayer, buy the detergent, buy the sprayer, and make life easier.

Well, the Simple Green didn't work worth a $h#%. I followed the instructions to the tee. I reapplied because I found it difficult to believe it would not work. It didn't phase the mildew! So, I bought the JoMax and Bleach.

I also bought a 16' extension pole and and a vehicle wash head. It was a lot of work, but I was able to stay on the ground for most much of the work. I just mixed in a 5 gallon bucket and then applied by dunking the brush into the solution and slopping it onto the siding.

The new pressure washer made rinsing so much better. I have low water pressure at home, and the reach is poor with a garden hose.

So the verdict?

I wish someone would make a product that goes through the pressure washer that would kill and remove mildew without voiding the pump warranty. I read about bleach being harmful to the pump in my new pressure washer and so could not apply the JoMax solution in this manner.

Oh...and how does my house look? Like it was just painted! :)

PWD COMMENT: Thanks for the feedback. Yes, you shouldn't put bleach through a pressure washer. It will eat way the seals. You can, however, use the Campbell Hausfeld High-Pressure Soap Lance to spray the bleach. The detergent is stored in a bottle attached to the lance. You can actually spray the bleach under high pressure to reach second stories. A very nice product.

My house is largely constructed with a Hardy Plank exterior. The paint on the north side of the house was quite visible with mildew, and the neighborhood association sent me a letter about either repainting or cleaning the siding.

I had to do this a few years back and found the job quite a bit of work. I purchased a product by Zinsser named JoMax. The instructions on JoMax say to mix with Bleach and water.

I had to use a vehicle brush and a ladder and do a lot of climbing and overhead work with the brush....but the JoMaxBleach works extremely well. The paint look... more

Years ago, cleaning your siding was a time-consuming chore that involved ladders, buckets, lots of scrubbing and, perhaps, a few sore muscles.

Before you climb the first ladder rung, consider a safer, less hands-on approach.

There's an easier way to make your home look as good as you do. Simply use a pressure washer to blast away the layers of mold and muck.

Finding the Right Pressure Washer
Don't be intimidated by the power of a pressure washer. Pressure washers are easy to operate and provide significantly more pressure than your garden hose to give your home a complete cleaning.

Choosing the right pressure washer is easy. For one-story homes, an electric pressure washer packs enough punch to get the first floor sparkling.

For two-story homes, homeowners should consider a gas-powered pressure washer to reach high, hard-to-reach spots.

The Right Way to Handle It
Getting a pressure washer is only the first step. Follow these six additional tips for getting your siding to shine:

1. The Solution is the Solution
Don't forget to accessorize. Soap and water is always a better cleaning combination than water alone.

Most pressure washers come with an injector to mix cleaning solutions into the jet stream.

Only use solvents that say "approved for pressure washer use" on the label. Unapproved solvents may not be environmentally sound and could eat away at critical pressure washer components.

2. Stroke, Stroke, Stroke
Apply the soap mixture under low pressure with smooth, overlapping strokes. To prevent streaking, start from the bottom and work your way up. Pressure washing is a lot like painting. If you get "hose happy" and randomly spray everything, you're bound to miss a spot.

If you have a multi-story house, you should consider using Campbell Hausfeld's High-Pressure Soap Lance. Most pressure washers only spray soap under low pressure. The new lance sprays detergent up to 25 feet under high pressure.

3. Brush-Up on Your Touch-Ups
If your home hasn't been cleaned in a while, Use a rotating or utility brush to help loosen thick layers of dirt. The brush simply snaps to then end of the pressure washer wand. Best of all, it acts as a foaming brush, emitting a soapy solution as you clean.

4. Relax Before Rinsing
Why bother using a solution if you don't give it time to work? It's okay to allow the soap mixture to sit for five to 10 minutes, as long as it doesn't dry.

5. Test of Strength
Pressure washers are designed to pack a punch. If you start spraying too closely, you could damage, instead of clean, the area. Hold the wand a couple of feet from the surface and gradually move closer if additional cleaning power is needed.

6. Ready, Aim…
Be careful not to spray directly at eaves, vents or light fixtures. High water pressure can knock out loose windowpanes or break them. Also, keep the angle of the wand pointing down so you don't spray up under the laps of horizontal siding. This will prevent the siding from buckling under pressure. When rinsing, start at the top and work down to ensure the entire area is soap free.

Pressure washers are a blast to use. Best of all, they work extremely fast, so you can spend more time admiring your work than actually doing it. In addition, pressure washers have lots of other handy uses around the home - from stripping paint to cleaning your deck to scrubbing your sidewalks.

Years ago, cleaning your siding was a time-consuming chore that involved ladders, buckets, lots of scrubbing and, perhaps, a few sore muscles.

Before you climb the first ladder rung, consider a safer, less hands-on approach.

There's an easier way to make your home look as good as you do. Simply use a pressure washer to blast away the layers of mold and muck.

Finding the Right Pressure Washer
Don't be intimidated by the power of a pressure washer. Pressure washers are easy to operate and provide significantly more pressure than your garde... more