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How to clean vinyl siding on MH?

Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 10:42 pm
by Teresa73
Hello Everyone,

I hope everyone's summer is going good.
I have a question that I'm sure has probably
been asked and answered time and time again,
but after browsing through 20 pages of the forum
I am giving up and just asking. I hope you don't mind.

My Question: How do you clean the vinyl siding on the outside of your mobile home, and what are some of the best things to use to clean it?

I don't know if I am supposed to wax it at some point either, because I have heard people talk about 'waxing' their siding.

I have this black mold looking stuff (an inch or less) under where the siding overlaps, which I assume is mold due to no sun being able to really hit that area of the siding when it's damp. Last year I scrubbed it where I could reach it with a toothbrush and soap, but it's back again. I figure it will be back every year :(

I asked my dad about power washing the siding, and he said that his power washer would probably blow the siding off my trailer. Plus he said not to use -any- power washer because it might drive the water up under the siding and ruin or damage my trailer.

*bangs her head on the desk in frusteration*

My mom said take a ladder and hand wash everything
(we're talking about a 16x80 foot trailer!) with Murphy's Soap, then maybe wax the vinyl to help prevent the mold...

Please, tell me I don't have to wash this whole trailer by hand!

Ok, I know a long post but I was only trying to give you the whole picture and to covering everything in advance. The trailer is supposed to be a 'Mansion' model or make (I can't get an answer from anyone on what it really is, and I can't find it no where nto even on the brass plate outside). It's a mid to late 90's 1995 I think. A nice home, modern looking. I hope this helps out. It's shingled if that matters.

Thank you VERY much for any advice, tips, help, info, etc...
This is my first MH and I'm only 2 years into owning it.

Thank you again,
Teresa

RE: How to clean vinyl siding on MH?

Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 11:00 pm
by JD
Hi Teresa,

You dad is absolutely right about using power washers on vinyl siding. It shouldn't blow off, but it will certainly blow water up in behind the siding. If a person was real careful, you could power wash only in the down direction, keeping the wand pointing at a downward angle at all times and being real careful. This would not help you with your mold situation. You would have to concentrate too much pressure on the mold, forcing water up the next course of siding.

This product may work for you. It is made for water damage restoration. It says it is a no rinse type of deal, but I would have to see that for myself. But is does do more than just clean. It disinfects and kills the current mold and it also has a mold inhibitor for continued protection. Sounds like it might be good to reapply the product in the problem areas before the cold and wet season sets in.

http://store.greendepot.com/Detail.bok? ... ath=667881
Image

JD

Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 11:46 pm
by Teresa73
Thank you JD,

I will order some of this Moldex on Friday, and I'll try to remember to take before and after photos so everyone can see how good it works. *fingers crossed!*

- Teresa

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:50 am
by tnt17
I just bought some at the Home Depot, will see how it works as well.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... reNum=8125

Might help you get it sooner, since you mentioned ordering it....hopefully you'd have a H.D in your area and wouldn't have to wait then.

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:26 am
by Teresa73
Thank you very much for the Home Depot - Moldex link! Saves me time, and money :)

Don't forget to let us know how easy/good it works! What trouble spots are you using it on tnt17 ? Outside vinyl siding by any chance?

- Teresa

P.S. Yes, we have a Home Depot about a 1/2 hour from us.

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:38 pm
by tnt17
yes outside vinyl siding, just like a 4ft wide by 6 inch high of 'green' coming up.

RE: How to clean vinyl siding on MH?

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:06 pm
by Arlo
I just did this last month! I bought this long-armed gizmo in Walmart in the RV department. It attaches to the hose and is a very soft brush. It cost about 20 dollars but you can also use it to wash your car and it should last years. I used a 5 gallon bucket and put in "vinyl siding wash" from the painting department. The wash cost about 5 dollars. You could also use Simple Green or Mean Green from the Dollar Store. Wait for a nice warm day when you don't mind getting wet and have at it! The siding cleaner did a great job. I only used about half of the bottle so I can do it again next year. If you have mold you could spray bleach on the bad spots but it isn't good for your flowers.

RE: How to clean vinyl siding on MH?

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:17 pm
by Yanita
Hi folks,

The extension handled brush is what i use. Be careful if using bleach, use only in diluted form. If you have colored vinyl you can leave spray marks and runs on it. Be sure to rinse immediately.

I am going to move this thread to the decorating forums, seems they always end up there or start there. Thanks and follow along please.

Yanita

RE: How to clean vinyl siding on MH?

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:54 pm
by Katie
I bought one of those brushes for Hubby to use, it works good but he says the water runs right down the wand and down his arms and into his shirt... he hates the feeling. Soooo, what he does is mix about a half gallon of bleach with a lot of water in a big storage tub, stirs in some Tide, and he dips the brush in, scrubs the siding, then hoses it off. He says he can control the amount of solution he gets in his armpits. LOL Here in Florida, mold grows on everything so we use a little bleach.... if you get it on the plants, hose it off asap.
Katie

Re: RE: How to clean vinyl siding on MH?

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:41 am
by Teresa73
Katie wrote:I bought one of those brushes for Hubby to use, it works good but he says the water runs right down the wand and down his arms and into his shirt... he hates the feeling. Soooo, what he does is mix about a half gallon of bleach with a lot of water in a big storage tub, stirs in some Tide, and he dips the brush in, scrubs the siding, then hoses it off. He says he can control the amount of solution he gets in his armpits. LOL Here in Florida, mold grows on everything so we use a little bleach.... if you get it on the plants, hose it off asap.
Katie
Thanks everyone for all the ideas and help. :mrgreen:

I'm going to avoid bleach because I have a garden right up against
my home, have colored siding, have pets that go outside, kids, and for the simple fact that bleach scares me lol :( I know I will end up
sloshing the cleaning solution down into my face and armpits too.

There, a new idea! Armpit guards for people who need to reach to wash. We could make a million bucks.. ok maybe 5 dollars.

Friday I will be off to Home Depot for Moldex, a long poled washer
brush, and armpit guards for my hubby (if I can trick him into
thinking it's safer for a man to wash the trailer).. :lol:

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:53 am
by WildIrish
I'd like to know how to clean vinyl siding, but mildew isn't our problem: Bird poop is! Particularly the birds that strafe the nice, white siding with a huge splash of purple yuck. It never seems to come off completely....

RE: How to clean vinyl siding on MH?

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:41 am
by Teresa73
Welp, I used the Moldex and it worked great. I did notice
without the Moldex that the bulk of the black mold looking
stuff would scrub off.. but the Moldex took it ALL off, and
with a lot less scrubbing time (or spent energy).

I made sure to keep the garden hose pointed down when
I rinsed, thanks for that reminder and tip! I bought the
long handled 'lightweight' scrub brush which REALLY helped.

( Thanks again! )

And thankfully with the extended 'handled' scrub brush
I didn't have to use a ladder once. But yes, I did suffer from
soaked armpits which is an odd yet refreshing feeling (once the
ice cold water shock wears off). The MH looks good as new now.

You were right too, Home Depot sells a 'Vinyl Cleaning Solution'
to mix into the water for cleaning. The guy did say though to
wash it on a hot sunny day, to avoid rusty water stains, etc.

Thanks again for all the tips and help,
Teresa