Oxidation on vinyl siding

[Gutter Squad 14]

Have a home with medium slate blue vinyl siding that I washed yesterday (the siding is about 22 years old - the owner has not had it washed and has been at the residence for 19 years). The siding came clean, but there is a layer or patina of oxidation on it (kind of like the kind that gets on cheap vinyl outdoor furniture after a number of years).

Any thoughts on getting this "patina" off the siding. Homeowner is happy with the cleaning, but I'd like it to look better. Did a scratch test with my fingernail on one side and found that there seems to be a glossier "hard" layer beneath the oxidized patina.

Thoughts appreciated - considering just taking a stiff bristle to it...

Edited June 14, 2008 by Gutter Squad
additional info

[Chris ECS 14]

In ten years I have only seen two or three houses that this happens to, and all of them have been light blue or slate colored.

In the past I used a bleach and detergent mix, nothing fancy, and rinsed with little to no pressure. It is the pressure the may remove some of the oxidation and leave the splotchy apperance.

Recently I have stopped using bleach and now use percarbonate based cleaners which are much more eco friendly, non toxic, and non-corrosive. I did have a problem with it removing some oxidation but not all of it, and it left that splotchy look. I did not notice it until it had dried. I have not yet tried to correct this problem because the customer knew ahead of time this problem might occur. I had informed her before of the ptotenial for this happening because of the age of the siding and effects of the sun over a period of many years.

I am not sure what I will do, but high pressure is NOT the way to go. I will either reclean with same cleaner or brush it off. I know -- some of you think I am crazy for brushing, but it works, it deoesn't take much longer, and customers appreciate the extra effort.

[jeffex11 121]

that sounds like exaclty the scenario I had. Gray siding had some white streaks in it. I tried purple stuff to remove and it didn't work. I turned out to be some of the paint from the facia boards that the purple stuff removes in cleaning had dried back on to the vinyl as the house dripped some water from the weep holes in the siding. When we walked the house with the homwowner there was NO streaks . she paid and we left. Her comments were "wow I can't believe how clean everything looks". then the call came later that night that the streaks appeared. As the weep holes bled some remaining water that contained some of thewhite residue it dried on the gray siding I found that 20 to 1 HD-80 or 5 to 1 briteside removed the dried on white stains .

[roxette123 14]

I have to agree - a double wide manufactured vinyl sided home takes us about 1 1/2 hours and that's including an interior screenroom and driveway

You shouldn't be using high pressure on vinyl, nor should one side of a typical house take an hour unless you're hand scrubbing it! The proper chems and you can wash a vinyl house in an hour with a garden hose. And yes, get it clean.

[Chazz 14]

For the folks that are using the over the counter bleach at 6 percent. Do you add water to your 5 er or do you run it pure and let it mix with water as your down streaming? Because my draw is 12 to 1 and if I run it pure in a 5 er with some simple cherry I should be good right?

[Rick2 42]

Six percent is being very liberal; I bet you're lucky to get three percent.

[Chazz 14]

So Rick are you saying it's better to not mix the bleach with water to just inject it from a bucket uncut?

(only when down streaming of course)

[Pascack 14]

Howq did this ancient saga end?

[Adrian 155]

Howq did this ancient saga end?

No telling.

Welcome to TGS. Please complete your signature line.

We're glad you're here.

[Timo 25]

Howq did this ancient saga end?

Hi Michael.

[Pascack 14]

Hi Tim. you get around!