When we think of oxidation, most people consider bleach, peroxide, and Oxyclean®. We love to use oxidation to clean our clothes, kitchen, and bathroom. It’s a useful chemical reaction that slices through dirt and grease like a boss.
However, it isn’t always beneficial. When oxidation strikes some surfaces, it can wreak havoc on them!
And chemicals aren’t the only thing that oxidates. In fact, nature provides us with one of the most powerful oxidizers in the world – the sun.
Oxidation Damages
Have you noticed that your outdoor furniture, pavers, and childrens’ toys experience color fade as the sun bleaches them? The sun’s intense UV rays cause the material to lose electrons.
Over time the paint breaks down and completely decomposes creating results that are gradual but extremely noticeable over time. Vivid and dark deep colors are reduced to pale echoes of the hues they once were, and there is a white chalky substance left behind.
What Can You Do About Paint Oxidation on Your Vinyl Siding and Fence?
When your vinyl siding or vinyl fence begins to develop a white chalky film over the surface, it may alarm you. At first, you might suspect that a construction project nearby blew clouds of dust into the air and all over your house and fence.
But when you try to wash it off, it just comes back.
What happened is, the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material reacted with the sunlight to create an unsightly oxygenated reaction. Instead of fighting oil stains, oxidation is destroying paint, breaking it down, and turning it into powder.
The only way to fix this situation is to repaint the surfaces. The old paint is dead and gone.
Choose your next paint wisely. Select one that resists oxidation so that it will last as long as possible.
But before you grab the paintbrush, you need to wash away the oxidation.
When You DON’T Clean Surfaces Before You Paint
When good paint goes bad, you need to repaint it! But don’t make the mistake of slapping on a new coat of paint without cleaning it first. You’ll regret it!
If you don’t prepare the surface with a deep cleaning, in a few weeks or months, the paint will chip and peel. That’s because in between the layers of paint is hiding:
- Oxidation
- Dust
- Pollution
- Pollen
- Mold
- Algae
- Dirt
With a filthy surface under it, paint can’t adhere properly to your house or fence. Hundreds of dollars in materials and hours of hard work will be lost.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
When You DO Clean Your Surfaces Before You Paint
When you clean surfaces thoroughly beforehand, the area is perfectly prepared to accept a strong bond with the new coat of paint. The polymers bind to the side of your home or fences without anything getting in-between.
This creates a durable layer of protection and color that is long-lasting. You can feel secure knowing that every effort you make to beautify your home will be worth every penny.
Washing Houses and Cleaning Fences
So you know you need to wash your home and fence, but how? Let’s take a look at your options.
DIY wash your house and vinyl fence
You could buy a big brush and bucket to scrub every square inch of the exterior surface of your home. With enough hours and back-breaking labor, you’ll get it done and remove the oxidation.
But we don’t recommend it.
Pressure wash your house and vinyl fence
You might consider renting a power washer to blast away at your siding and vinyl fence, but that would be the worst mistake you could make! Not only will it be ineffective at removing the oxidation completely, but it also poses a huge risk to the integrity of your siding and fencing!
High-pressure washing is known to crack siding and damage vinyl fencing. The force of the water is too great for these materials to handle, and they will get hurt.
Soft Wash for a fast and professional clean you can trust.
It’s essential to use a gentle approach, but unnecessary to use brushes. The good news is, a professional contractor that offers soft washing services can help!
Soft washing is a method that uses special cleaning solutions mixed with water to effectively rinse away the grime and oxidation on the exterior of your property with the force of a garden hose.
Paint Oxidation Removal Services in the Tampa Bay Area
With expert knowledge and skill, the experts at PPWS can wisely clean around and properly paint prep the oxidation surfaces to prepare them for future paint.
Please note that ordinary house and fence soft wash services will not remove all paint oxidation. If your property is experiencing paint oxidation then painting will be needed.
We will carefully neutralize the oxidation so that it can be washed away without any resistance, leaving the surface squeaky clean and ready for a fresh coat of paint!