How to Clean Wood Siding

Co-authored by Raymond Chiu

Last Updated: April 27, 2020

Whether you’re prepping your home for a new coat of paint or just need to get rid of accumulated dirt and grime, you might have to clean your home’s wood siding. Depending on the size of your home, this can be a painstaking task, especially if you plan on scrubbing by hand. Beyond hand scrubbing, you can also clean wood siding using a garden hose or a pressure washer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning with a Garden Hose

1
Inspect your home’s siding. Make your way around your home, giving the wood siding a look over. You want to look for spots that are especially grimy or might have collected mildew. Make a mental note of these spots.^{[1]
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- This is also a good time to look for any structural problems, such as cracks and dents, as some of these may let water in while you clean.
2
Spray your home’s wood siding with a garden hose. Usually, water is sufficient for cleaning wood siding. Work your way from the bottom of the wall to the top. Make sure to keep your garden hose aimed downwards; this will prevent water from going up and getting stuck in siding panels which could damage it.
- If your home’s siding is pretty dirty all over, you may want to use siding cleaner. You can find it in bottles that attach to garden hoses, allowing you to easily clean your home’s exterior.^{[2]
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3
Spray grimier spots with a siding cleaner and brush. Use a cleaner specifically designed for cleaning siding and always check the label to make sure it’s safe for wood. Use a spray bottle to squirt cleaner onto the grimier spots and scrub with a soft brush.
- After scrubbing thoroughly, make sure to rinse the cleaner with a garden hose.^{[3]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using a Pressure Washer

1
Inspect your home’s siding for damage. If you notice any deterioration or broken panels, you’ll need to take care of these before you use a pressure washer. The strong water pressure will likely aggravate any already existing damage.^{[4]
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2
Clear the area around your home. Make sure any loose items, such as toys, tools, and furniture, are stowed away before you use the pressure washer. Not only could the water damage them, but you could trip or get tangled up in them, causing an accident. Any light fixtures should be covered in a plastic tarp; tape down the tarp to secure it.
- Use a garden hose to spray any plants or shrubs around your home. This will prevent soap from sticking to them.
- Make sure all windows and doors are fully closed.
- If you have pets or small children, make sure they’re kept away from your home’s exterior while you work. The strong water pressure could injure them.^{[5]
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3
Hook up the pressure washer to your garden hose. The placement of this connection will vary upon your specific model. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions if you’re unsure of anything relating to the pressure washer’s operation.^{[6]
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- If you decide to use a cleaning solution, the pressure washer will either have a tank for you to fill or a siphon tube to slide into the solution. You shouldn’t need to use a siding cleaner for most cleaning jobs; only use it if the siding is particularly dirty.^{[7]
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4
Pressure-wash your home’s wood siding in 20 foot (6 metre) sections. Always work from bottom to top; this prevents water from dripping down onto dry panels and causing streaks. Keep the nozzle angled downwards to prevent water from getting lodged in between panels. Make sure to move on only when the section you’re working on has been completely covered.
- Pressure washers come with a variety of nozzles, which control the amount of pressure the water is under. For most homes, a 40-degree nozzle is sufficient.^{[8]
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- If you use a cleaning solution, you’ll need to rinse the wood siding before the cleaner solution has a chance to dry. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing.
- If your home is more than one story, you’ll need to use a nozzle extension to reach the siding higher up.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Scrubbing by Hand

1
Mix a solution of TSP and water. TSP, or Trisodium Phosphate Powder, is a powerful powdered cleaning agent you can find in many home improvement stores. It usually comes in a white powder. You’ll want to add half a pound (227g) of TSP to two gallons (7.8L) of water. You should mix this solution in a bucket.^{[10]
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- Make sure to wear rubber gloves when handling the cleaning solution, since contact with the skin can cause burns and hives.^{[11]
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2
Use a brush to scrub the solution onto your siding. The best brush for this purpose is a nylon brush with stiff bristles. Dip the brush into your cleaning solution, then scrub the wooden sliding, following the orientation of the panels. Most siding panels are horizontal, so you’ll want to scrub horizontally. Work in 20-foot (6m) sections.^{[12]
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- Dip the brush in your cleaning solution as needed.
3
Rinse each section after scrubbing. Right after you finish scrubbing a section of siding, you should rinse it before moving on to the next one. You only need to use clear water for this, and a garden hose is ideal if you have one.^{[13]
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4
Use a brush extension and a ladder to clean the second story. To work safely, you should have a second person holding the ladder for you. Fasten your brush to an extendable pole so that you can clean the second story without having to reach and stretch uncomfortably. Work in 20 foot (6m) sections, and always rinse before moving on to the next section.^{[14]
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- If your home has a third story, you may not be able to clean it safely by hand.

Expert Q&A

Question

Why do you start at the top when you clean your home?

Raymond Chiu
House Cleaning Professional
Raymond Chiu is the Director of Operations for MaidSailors.com, a residential and commercial cleaning service based in New York City that provides home and office cleaning services at affordable prices. He has a Bachelors in Business Administration and Management from Baruch College.

Raymond Chiu

House Cleaning Professional

Expert Answer

Well you should start at the top and work your way down when you're cleaning anything. Unless you have some reason to do it another way, it's always more efficient to start at the top. If you clean the bottom of the house and then work your way up, any dirt or dust you clean at the top will drip down to the area you already cleaned.

Warnings

Don’t use a pressure washer if your home was painted with lead paint.

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Turn off electricity to any exterior outlets before you start cleaning the siding. Otherwise, you could damage your home’s electrical system.

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When using a pressure washer, be especially careful around windows. The water could break through, causing expensive damage.

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Always check the label of any cleaning solution you’re using. There might be specific safety instructions, including what protective gear you’ll need to wear.

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