Hardiplank cleaning recommendation

[rj242 16]

I was wondering if any of you have any recommendations for cleaning painted hardiplank. I did a search and found three threads, but not much information, on the best way to clean it, or should I stay away from it. I am thinking that I should go easy on the bleach when dealing with the stuff.

[Jeff 232]

I was wondering if any of you have any recommendations for cleaning painted hardiplank. I did a search and found three threads, but not much information, on the best way to clean it, or should I stay away from it. I am thinking that I should go easy on the bleach when dealing with the stuff.

Its really no big deal, regular house wash mix is fine. I have seen older hardiplank that has coatings that have oxidized, just take same precautions that you would take with other oxidized surfaces.

Its just like any other house wash

[Doug Dahlke 114]

Always watch your pressure on a painted surface. Like Jeff said a regular house wash is fine. I use a chem tip wherever possible to apply and rinse. I also use a variable pressure wand when washing painted deck railings, steps, etc.

[rj242 16]

The reason I was asking is because in one of the search threads, a guy mentions washing a hardiplank house and it changed colors (blue to green). They mentioned oxidation as the cause on the thread, but I was wondering if there were any precautions to take when dealing with it.

Jeff,

You mention that I should just use regular house wash, so would 2gal of 12.5 SH and simply cherry in a 7 gal bucket X-jetted be fine?

Thanks for the replies so far!

RJ

[4000psi 16]

Its great stuff and easy to clean. Just apply chem and rinse like you do on vinyl. I too use my regular house wash mix. later, Dane

[MMI Enterprises 289]

The reason I was asking is because in one of the search threads, a guy mentions washing a hardiplank house and it changed colors (blue to green). They mentioned oxidation as the cause on the thread, but I was wondering if there were any precautions to take when dealing with it.

Jeff,

You mention that I should just use regular house wash, so would 2gal of 12.5 SH and simply cherry in a 7 gal bucket X-jetted be fine?

Thanks for the replies so far!

RJ

I suggest being careful with bleach in this case due to it's byproducts. Color going from blue to green can be from salt...

Hardiboard as I know it is a porous masonry type material and so the coating selection may not be a paint persay but rather actually a stain. Now blue stain for concrete or masonry can be made from minerals (aka acid staining). In the case of the color blue the mineral copper is used in the form of coppersulfate pentahydrate. We've all seen things of copper leave, leach, or oxidize a blueish/green residue right? When you add salt to copper sulfate you get copper chloride and it stains crete greener..

If you want to make a fountain look like the statue of liberty go get some root killer and mix it up with salt until you get just the right amount of green you want.. :)

ps- not sure what the primer is made of but this Q & A implies you would not want to go through the paint neither as the primer is bluish/green:

Q. Once HardiPlank is installed will I ever have to paint it again?

A. No. Johnson County Exteriors installs HardiPlank with factory-applied Prime Plus™ primer, which is a light gray-green color. After installing the HardiPlank, we apply a high performance paint, available in any color you choose within the parameters of your homeowners' association. The coating is guaranteed by the manufacturer not to peel or blister as long as you own your home.

[Jeff 232]

The reason I was asking is because in one of the search threads, a guy mentions washing a hardiplank house and it changed colors (blue to green). They mentioned oxidation as the cause on the thread, but I was wondering if there were any precautions to take when dealing with it.

Jeff,

You mention that I should just use regular house wash, so would 2gal of 12.5 SH and simply cherry in a 7 gal bucket X-jetted be fine?

Thanks for the replies so far!

RJ

That mix should be just fine

[rj242 16]

thanks everyone

[Barry M 73]

I agree with the regular house wash mix for cleaning just use low pressure.

[rick77 14]

If an area of hardyplank is not rinsed thoroughly and a bit of housewash mix is left on it what will happen to the paint. Will it fade or turn color.

I always rinse rinse rinse but there is a section on a house I did previously that is apx. 4'x4' and the paint looks oxidized or faded. I know I rinsed this area because I had shot mix all around the faded area and all around that area the paint looks fine. This faded area is on the second story. I didn't notice this faded area until several weeks later when I was PW'ing the house next door.

This small area that is faded may have already been oxidized before I washed the house. The house is probably 4 or 5 years old at the most.

Any feedback appreciated.

[Doug Dahlke 114]

There are houses all around here that are only a few years old that show faded areas in the paint. Some in higher end neighborhoods. Post some pics if you have them. It could just be a faded area in the paint.

[Paul Kassander 26]

A regular house wash mix should be fine, if you are getting a strange oxidation in the paint it could be a bad paint or the surface wasn't properly prepped prior to paint. Discoloration can be caused by a reaction with certain cleaners so do a test spot first. As a whole Hardiplank isn't cleaned any different than any other painted surface.

[rick77 14]

FWIW the housewash I used was 3 gallons of 6% bleach, 10 oz. of Simple Cherry, a shot of Dawn in a fiver topped off with water. This was X-jetted with the M-5 before I recently switched to downstreaming.

The rest of the house looks fine. The one area I mentioned looks faded but I rinsed the whole area really well. The soffits above and all areas beside and below look fine. Just an area about 4'x4' that looks faded or oxidized.

[plainpainter 217]

Because of the very dimensional stable qualities of hardiplank - paint jobs last much longer - therefore you will run into more instances of faded paint. If paint doesn't peel or crack - it will just eventually oxidize and fade and if it's a very deep color, it will chaulk as well. Getting it clean is one thing, making it look new is quite another - eventually it will need to be repainted.

[Paul Kassander 26]

FWIW the housewash I used was 3 gallons of 6% bleach, 10 oz. of Simple Cherry, a shot of Dawn in a fiver topped off with water. This was X-jetted with the M-5 before I recently switched to downstreaming.

The rest of the house looks fine. The one area I mentioned looks faded but I rinsed the whole area really well. The soffits above and all areas beside and below look fine. Just an area about 4'x4' that looks faded or oxidized.

I am betting it has something to do with the wall behind it and a temp differential issue.

[rick77 14]

I am betting it has something to do with the wall behind it and a temp differential issue.

I didn't even come close to thinking about that. That just may be it.

I think the area is on the northern side of the house.

Another possibility may be that there was mold & mildew on the 4x4 area which shielded the area from sun whereas the rest of the wall was exposed to the sun or visa versa.

The area covered with mold & mildew did not oxidize since it was shielded from the sun. Once the mold & mildew was removed the two areas look different since one area is oxidized and the other area is not oxidized. Could this happen on a North wall of a house?