Cleaning Aluminum Siding Chalking

Clean chalky aluminum siding with cleaning products.

Cleaning aluminum siding chalking. Chalk removal raises the value of the home and is much less expensive than siding replacement. It dents easily and the red color is difficult to coordinate with outdoor decor. Chalk occurs on aluminum siding due to aging and weather effects. To clean your aluminum siding choose a dry windless day.

Check your siding first for signs of mildew chalking and needed repairs. Vinegar and borax are other good eco friendly alternatives for cleaning mold and mildew. Use of a low grade highly pigmented paint. I ll show you how to clean aluminum siding and remove that chalky residue easily without power washing.

The white chalky residue on your siding often takes place from weathering mildew or exterior paint chipping. Aluminum siding first began appearing on homes in the early 1960s. A chalky white substance on your vinyl siding and trim is caused by oxidation which occurs most often during damp or wet weather. You can also look for special cleaning solutions that are meant for cleaning aluminum siding at your local hardware store.

Following the scrubbing we will go back over the siding with a light power wash to rinse. Once you ve determined what cleaning method to use try to work in the shade as much as possible. I ll admit i hate our aluminum siding. Oil based paints tend to chalk more than latex formulations.

Use appropriate materials to clean mildew and chalking. Oxidation can be cleaned from most vinyl siding but the process. Use of an interior paint for an outdoor application. Although it seems like a big job getting rid of the chalk is surprisingly easy.

Wipe the surface with the palm of your hand. Not adequately sealing a porous surface. While aluminum siding is rigid and holds up well to the environment chalk will show up eventually. Scrub off the chalk with a strong solution of water and spic and span or tsp detergent or a nonphosphate tsp alternative.

The cleaning agent makes the removal of the chalk easier and it also kills any mold mildew or algae that may be growing on the siding as we don t want that festering beneath our top coat of paint. It is advertised as low maintenance. To clean stubborn mildew you will need bleach. The problem however is that this product experiences corrosion especially in areas of high humidity or salty ocean winds.

Read this before you power wash your aluminum siding. It s not hard to clean oxidized aluminum patio furniture or siding if you have the right materials. Factory finished siding can develop an excessively thick chalk layer and may require power washing to ensure complete chalk removal.