Exterior House Cleaning Tips

The exterior of your home is the first thing people see, so keeping it in good condition is vital to maintaining your curb appeal. While exterior walls can be susceptible to dirt and mold, they should only need regular maintenance once or twice a year. By following these guidelines for routine cleaning, repair and stain removal and learning how to spot signs of deterioration and wear, you’ll help keep your home’s exterior looking great for years.

Brick

The exterior brick on your home contributes curb appeal and is extremely durable.

Brick, made from fired clay, offers fire resistance, low maintenance, high aesthetic value, and energy conservation.

Care and Maintenance

There’s very little you’ll ever have to do to maintain your brick exterior over the years. Follow these suggestions for minor maintenance.

General Maintenance

Follow these maintenance suggestions for exterior brick:

Remove any plants or vines growing on brick walls with a commercial weed killer. Be sure to read the weed killer’s instructions first. Plants or vines hold in moisture and may cause damage to your home’s exterior.
Check the caulking between the brick and the windows and doors once a year. Remove and re-caulk as needed.
Make sure nothing obstructs the weep holes, which keep moisture from being trapped between the drainage plane and the brick. Check once a year.
Check mortar joints every three years for deterioration.
Check the transition from brick to stucco for cracking once a year. If there are cracks, caulk and paint them as necessary.

See also Exterior Caulking.

To Clean the Brick

There are general practices for cleaning brick. These general practices are applicable to many types of cleaning solutions and many types of brick. However, they may not be effective across the board. For example, the color and texture of the brick, as well as the substance staining the brick, can influence the effectiveness of the cleaning practice. As a result, it’s always best to gather as much information about your home’s brick exterior beforehand and consult a brick manufacturer for advice. Overall, just be careful to select a cleaning product that’s suitable for your brick and to follow the cleaner manufacturer’s instructions.

In general, to clean brick, follow these steps:

1. Choose the proper cleaning solution based on the type of brick and the substance staining its surface.

2. Protect any objects nearby, such as plants, windows, and doors, if necessary. Certain cleaning solutions can damage them.

3. Test the brick’s absorption rate. Wet a small area of brick using a garden hose. If the brick turns darker at once, you should clean only a small area of the brick face at a time. If it doesn’t, clean up to 100 square feet at a time.

It’s important to test the brick’s absorption rate. Knowing this information beforehand allows you to estimate how large of an area you can clean at one time.

4. Saturate the brick area to be cleaned using clean water from a garden hose. Spray the area from the top down.

Brick must be saturated with water before it’s cleaned. If the cleaning solution is absorbed by the brick, it can leave stains behind on the surface. By saturating the wall with water beforehand, the brick is unable to absorb the cleaning solution, thereby preventing any unattractive stains from appearing after the brick is rinsed and allowed to dry.

5. Saturate any brick that’s below the area you’re cleaning. Make sure to keep this brick saturated until you’ve rinsed away the cleaning solution from the brick above. By taking this step, you’re helping to prevent streaking and the absorption of runoff that’s come from above.

6. Apply the cleaning solution to the brick. The exact method depends upon the cleaning solution you’ve chosen. If it’s a commercial cleaning solution, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

7. Rinse the brick face thoroughly after cleaning. Use large amounts of clean water, moving from the top to the bottom of the wall. Make sure all of the cleaning solution is washed away, as any left behind can stain the brick’s surface.

To Clean Mold off the Brick

Mildew can grow on areas of the brick that the sun doesn’t reach. Periodically, clean these areas with a brick-cleaning detergent, which you can purchase at most hardware stores. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to see which chemicals are best for your brick exterior.

Be careful when using a pressure washer, since this may damage the brick surface if the wrong pressure is applied.

To Remove Stains

You can remove most stains on exterior brick with a stiff brush and a solution of household detergent and water. Some stains, such as smoke, paint, and oil, require special treatments. Use the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning product, and follow the instructions to remove the stains.

Protect any areas of brick that don’t need cleaning.

To Remove Efflorescence

Inspect the brick surface for signs of efflorescence on a periodic basis. Efflorescence doesn’t damage brick, but it can be unattractive. It’s also one sign that water-related issues may be occurring; as a result, it’s important to look for the possible cause of efflorescence, in addition to removing it from the brick’s surface. Measures will need to be taken to mitigate the cause of the efflorescence.

First try to remove efflorescence using a dry brush. If this method doesn’t work in full, then try to remove efflorescence using clean water and a brush. It’s best to wash the wall with water only when the outdoor conditions are warm and dry, since adding more water to the wall during washing can actually contribute to efflorescence. If the efflorescence is tough to remove, use a solution made specifically for removing efflorescence from brick. Follow the solution manufacturer’s instructions. It’s always a good idea to test the solution on an inconspicuous part of the brick first to make sure it won’t stain.

Efflorescence occurs when water enters the brick and leaves behind a whitish deposit on the surface from salts.

If Your Home Is Part of a Homeowners Association (HOA)

Check with your HOA regarding maintenance, and be familiar with all HOA documentation. For more information about brick, visit the manufacturer’s website.

Siding

The siding on the exterior of your home increases curb appeal and is easy to maintain.

Your home has either vinyl or composite siding – two types of siding that resemble wood in appearance. Both exterior materials are attractive, durable, and low maintenance. Vinyl is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), while composite siding is a combination of wood or cement fibers.

Care and Maintenance

Follow these care and maintenance suggestions for your home’s siding.

General Maintenance

Follow these maintenance suggestions for your home’s siding:

Keep sprinklers and other forms of forced water away from siding.
Make sure your gutters and downspouts work properly, so water is directed away from the siding. Downspouts should pour water away from your home.
Make sure there’s a 6-inch vertical space between the bottom of your siding and the ground. This space prevents siding from absorbing water from the ground.
Make sure plants are placed at least 2 feet away from the siding.
Keep hot items, such as grills, away from vinyl siding. The heat can permanently damage the siding.
Clean all types of siding with clear water from a garden hose and a soft-bristled, long-handled car brush. Don’t scrub too hard.
Remove difficult dirt, mold, and algae using the siding manufacturer’s recommended cleaning products, and follow the instructions for cleaning.
Inspect wood siding for evidence of problems like termites, cracks, rot, and water damage.
Check around the exterior of your home for separated or deteriorated caulk approximately one to two times per year.

Check Caulk Annually

Check the caulk in the following areas:

Where the siding meets the corner board.
At window and door trim.
Around pipes and vent pipes coming through the siding. At J-channels (on vinyl siding) around windows and doors.

If you see any separation or deterioration of caulk, remove the caulk, and reapply as necessary.