Vinyl fences can be affordable and attractive additions to any home, but their biggest drawback is how quickly they get dirty. One solid storm can turn your shining fence posts into muddy and algae-covered monstrosities.
As regular maintenance, you should wipe down your vinyl fencing once a week. This will help to slow down the growth of microorganisms and easily removable grime before it sets in.
Eventually, wiping down your fence won’t be enough and you’ll need to bring in the big guns, specifically a pressure washer gun.
For your health and safety, Premier Pro Wash & Seal always recommends that you let an experienced, licensed, and insured contractor perform your pressure washing projects for you. A pressure washer is a dangerous piece of equipment that causes thousands of injuries per year.
Yet many homeowners decide to buy or rent a pressure washer to clean their fence, house, driveway, and more. Whether you are determined to tackle the job yourself or choose wisely to hire a professional, you should know the dos and don’ts of pressure washing a vinyl fence. When you know the common blunders people make, you can save your fence from the avoidable mistakes of a novice.
Vinyl Fence Mistake #1: Using High Pressure
The force of a pressure washer is measured by pounds per square inch. Most pressure washers max out at 2,600 PSI, but some can go up to 4,000 PSI! That’s a lot of weight exerted, especially if the nozzle is concentrated.
High pressure can damage the surface of vinyl fences or even crack it. That’s why the experts at Premier Pro Wash & Seal use low pressure, known as a soft wash method, to clean your vinyl fences. This technique mixes a cleaning solution in the water and directs it with pressure no greater than a garden hose.
Vinyl Fence Mistake #2: Zebra Stripes
When your vinyl fence is decorated with mud, mold, and algae, you don’t want to add to the design by giving it stripes; you want a spotless finish! But your vinyl fence has other plans.
When you power wash or use high pressure to blast the grime away, it pushes the dirt around. This can lead to unsightly streaks of brown and green that can take a lot of time and patience to remove. Using water alone might not be enough, which leads us to our next mistake.
Vinyl Fence Mistake #3: Using Water Alone
Microorganisms like algae, bacteria, and mold love water. That’s why they’re hanging out on your fence in the first place! Rain and humidity constantly sustain their thirst while they feast on dirt and other organic material sprinkled over your vinyl fence’s surface.
Now you’re going to come along with more water and push them around. Sure, it may look like they’re gone, but they aren’t. Those microscopic invaders are hiding in plain sight. As soon as you turn your back, they will return with vengeance.
Using water alone blasts the microorganisms into the air in a fine mist. Once they’re airborne, you can breathe them in or they can land in a new place, like your sidewalk! Like dandelions, their roots will allow them to grow back in the same location, but the spores you distributed will increase their numbers.
To prevent microorganism growth, Premier Pro Wash & Seal carefully measures the safest and most effective combination of an eco-friendly cleaning solution with water. This detergent will stop microorganisms in their tracks by killing them and destroying their roots while they are washed away.
But the amount of solution used is crucial. If the mixture is too strong, it can harm the integrity of your vinyl and permanently damage your fence.
Vinyl Fence Mistake #4: Harsh Chemicals
When you are maintaining the beauty of your fence on a weekly basis, it’s okay to use mild soaps or diluted vinegar and a soft sponge. This is a fantastic way to lengthen the life of your vinyl fence.
But if those gentle cleansers can’t cut it, don’t reach for something more powerful. Leave the industrial strength cleaning products to the professionals. Too much of a good thing can be disastrous and even a “safe” soap can be harmful to your vinyl fence when used incorrectly.
Premier Pro Wash & Seal works hard to restore and lengthen the life of your vinyl fence. When handling our company’s tested and approved products, we use precise ratios to create the gentlest yet most effective cleaning mixture.
Professional Vinyl Fence Washing Services for Tampa Bay Florida
If your vinyl fence needs cleaning and you want to power-wash it yourself, please reconsider. It is not only unsafe for you, but improper handling can also damage your property.
Instead, contact Premier Pro Wash & Seal and ask us about our vinyl fence soft wash service.
The soft-wash method is a gentle and effective way to wash not only vinyl but many areas of your property including your pool screen and house. By combining water with a special cleaning solution and low pressure, your exterior surfaces are restored without risk of injury!
Contact us today for your free quote!