Surprisingly, the dirty surfaces outside your home are the ones you least suspect. These areas can be breeding grounds for bacteria, germs, and various other hazardous substances, so frequent cleaning is key to ensuring a safe space.
Understanding where dirt and germs thrive helps you focus your cleaning efforts effectively, ensuring a safer and cleaner living space for everyone.
Overlooked Dirty Surfaces Outside Your Home
It’s easy to focus on visible messes indoors, but many dirty surfaces outside of your home quietly accumulate grime, bacteria, algae, and even mold. Cleaning these frequently neglected spots not only creates a more sanitary outdoor environment but also helps maintain overall home curb appeal and perceived home value.
We’re talking about dirty outdoor surfaces like:
- Lanai Cages
- Driveways
- Walkways
- Vinyl Fences
- And the home itself!
Here, we explain why these overlooked surfaces are often neglected, what makes them especially vulnerable, and how to maintain and clean them properly.
1. Lanai Cages
You’ll commonly see lanai cages surrounding pools and patios in all those sunny states like Florida. These rectangular enclosures are built with strong, lightweight aluminum frames and animal-safe, fine mesh screens.
They fully protect from unwanted intruders while still allowing nature’s light and air to flood in. Their 24/7 exposure to the elements means that they are constantly exposed to dirt, mold, and algae.
How Do You Clean Lanai Cages?
Soft washing is the best process for cleaning lanai enclosures because of it’s a safe and effective technique. Avoid high-pressure washing because it can split the seams of the screen and dent aluminum frames! A soft wash, often using a diluted solution of water, bleach, or white vinegar, removes dirt, mold, and algae without causing damage.
Soft Washing Benefits for Lanai Enclosures
Routine soft washing does more than just make things look better. It prevents mold and algae from getting a foothold on your structures and helps it stay clean for months.
Regular cleaning every 3-6 months can add years to your lanai by preventing buildup of dirt and other substances. With gentle, regular cleaning and care, your enclosure will be operating efficiently and looking beautiful for many, many years to come!
2. & 3. Driveways and Walkways
Driveways and walkways are all porous surfaces. They notoriously let dirt, grime, and organic materials such as algae and moss take root. After a while, these contaminants build up, creating a grimy surface that can be both slippery and unsafe.
How Do You Clean Driveways and Walkways?
Pressure washing is an effective way to make sure these spaces stay safe and clean, giving your guests an inviting atmosphere that protects them. Pressure washing shoots out pressurized water to access deep crevices and pores.
This vigorous technique easily blasts away ground-in grime and built-up contaminants.
Pressure Washing Benefits for Driveways and Walkways
Regular pressure washer cleaning each at least twice a year is best to ensure that any contaminants are removed, allowing for the surface’s maximum longevity. This is especially true when applying protective measures such as stain or seal.
Nothing improves your home’s curb appeal more than a clean driveway or sidewalk. Bring it back to its true color and texture with pressure washing! And if you want that clean look to last even longer, seal your pavers and travertine too.
Keeping driveways and walkways clean maintains a welcoming outdoor area that looks good, lasts longer, and is safer at all times.
4. Vinyl Fences
Vinyl fencing is designed to stand the test of time through daily use. That doesn’t stop it from gathering grime, mold, and algae due to exposure to the elements. Seasonal weather like intense winds or tropical storm conditions can deposit dirt and debris that make the surface look gray and lifeless.
How Do You Clean a Vinyl Fence?
Soft washing is the best and gentlest practice for keeping vinyl fences looking beautiful. With a soft wash solution, this low pressure wash can tackle tough stains like mold, bacteria, or algae without damaging the material.
Using harsh detergents or letting the detergent dry on the vinyl can damage the surface. Be sure to avoid using any harsh chemicals or abrasive tools.
Soft Washing Benefits for Vinyl Fences
While there are no guarantees, regular cleaning goes a long way in preventing long-term fence damage caused by the environment. If not regularly maintained, organic material can etch into the surfaces and grooves, and removing this material will be harder as time goes on.
Despite their low maintenance, vinyl fences can last upwards of 20 to 30 years with proper care. Regular cleaning, maintenance, inspections and quick repairs help avoid permanent wear and erosion while keeping their beauty intact.
Incorporating seasonal tasks like hiring a professional to soft wash your vinyl fence can go a long way!
5. Exterior Walls and Siding
Keeping your home’s exterior walls and siding clean is very important. It beautifies the space while protecting the structural integrity and value of your property.
Exterior walls and siding are long overdue for a good cleaning on a regular basis. Organic growth, specifically algae, lichen, and mold, flourishes on the damp, shady side of homes, creating unsightly green or black streaks.
As organic growth and environmental pollutants adhere to these surfaces, they can leave you with gross eyesores that can shorten the lifespan of your walls and siding.
How Do You Clean Exterior Walls and Siding?
Soft washing is an eco-friendly and extremely effective cleaning method for exterior walls and siding! This safe, non-invasive method penetrates and flushes away a wide variety of pollutants without harming sensitive surfaces.
Soft washing is safe and effective on many different materials from stucco to brick to vinyl to fiber cement siding. It cleans dirt, oxidation layers, and even tough organic stains to bring back the original color and texture of your siding.
Soft Washing Benefits for Exterior Walls and Siding
Soft washing your exterior walls and siding isn’t just about cleaning. It actively prevents future growth by treating surfaces with solutions that inhibit mold, mildew, and algae.
This long-lasting effect can sometimes last up to six times longer than regular pressure washing. It reduces how often you have to perform maintenance or replacement and shields your home from the elements.
Weather conditions such as humidity, rain, and UV rays rapidly contribute to the accumulation of dirt and organic material. We think of soft washing as your surface’s protective armor, safeguarding against future damage.
Plus, it protects insulation value so your building stays cooler in Florida’s hot climate.
Hire Pressure Washing and Soft Washing Experts for Dirty Surfaces
Your home is worth more than just a simple clean. Some surfaces may be out of sight often, but allowing them to stay dirty affects the beauty of your home and even your health.
From lanai cages to vinyl fences, every surface area deserves the best. Gentle techniques such as soft washing ensure that sensitive surfaces are never damaged, while pressure washing is used for stubborn grime on driveways and sidewalks.
A clean home isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s all about maintaining a healthy, happy environment. Consistently addressing these underappreciated areas helps maintain a clean, inviting home you can feel good about.
Get started today and receive professional pressure washing and soft washing services from a company you can trust! Insured, certified, and ready to clean, our team will make your home’s exterior surfaces spotless in no time!
If you live in the Tampa Bay area, contact Premier Pro Wash & Seal for your free estimate.
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