Regarding the type of fences that enhance curb appeal, home improvement resource, House Digest, shares that vinyl fencing is such a popular choice because of its clean lines and minimal maintenance needs. In fact, aside from any fence repairs that may arise, knowing how to clean your vinyl fence is often the only care necessary! To help, the following highlights why cleaning your vinyl fence is so important and how to do it effectively.
Why Clean a Vinyl Fence?
In addition to being a popular aesthetic choice, vinyl picket fences and other vinyl styles are valued for their durability, pest resistance, and versatility. Executing seasonal care routines, such as these fall fence maintenance tips, and regular fence cleaning helps you optimize your investment in your vinyl fence. This care also helps ensure a long lifespan for your fence, as well as its attractive appearance. While dirt and other debris will naturally accumulate on any fence due to weather, other lawn care or routine use of your yard, this buildup may hide deterioration or damage, which may worsen potential issues and detract from the fence’s overall appeal. Additionally, fences regularly exposed to wet conditions may result in mold and mildew, which can pose health issues for kids and pets. Consequently, understanding how to clean your vinyl fence and incorporating this annual maintenance into your home care routine is essential.
How Frequently Should I Clean a Vinyl Fence?
At a minimum, residential fencing should receive a thorough cleaning at least once a year, while commercial fencing may be on a similar schedule or require greater upkeep depending on traffic or production circumstances. In short, the reasons why your fence isn’t looking its best may impact how frequently you need to clean it. To help, these are three factors that generally impede the otherwise pristine look of your vinyl fence and which, if present in combination with each other, may result in more frequent cleaning.
- Yard care: Mowing the grass or trimming bushes may result in waste on your fence, which can lead to stains if left for an extended period of time. Instead of having to determine how to remove stains from a vinyl fence, address the material accumulation using one of the steps below as soon as possible.
- Fence activity: General wear and tear can cause discoloration. If your dog has a favorite post or your kids forget to take down their homemade decorations before it rains, you may end up with an unexpected cleaning project.
- Environmental factors: The spring may result in a thin layer of pollen on your fencing. Fences may end up with sap or berry juice on them from surrounding plant life. Fence placement near roads or driveways are often exposed to water or dirt splatters from vehicles or road care substances. Depending on your location, climate, seasons, and landscape, knowing how to clean a fence may be especially vital to preserving your installation.
Recommendations for How to Clean a Vinyl Fence
There are three primary approaches for cleaning your vinyl fence. Although all of them can be do-it-yourself projects, those methods sometimes employed for more significant stains or dirt such as bleach cleaning or pressure washing should be conducted by professionals or with extreme care (see these additional cleaning tips!).
- Use the garden hose regularly. If you are wondering how to clean a white vinyl fence in particular, especially without a pressure washer, this tip is for you! Because of its constitution, vinyl fencing can typically be tidied up with a simple spray of your standard garden hose, as long as material or stains haven’t been allowed time to build up or left on there for years. While this recommendation means more frequent cleaning, it may be the one that requires the least amount of physical effort.
- Give your fence a sponge bath. This application requires more time and a more hands-on treatment. Although a scouring pad or bristle brush may seem like a good choice for that caked-on combination of mud and grass clippings, these tools may scratch your fence. Instead, use a soft sponge or old towel with your bucket of water and mild cleaning solution to get your arm workout and fence cleaning in. In addition to a bleach and water mix (see our cautions about bleach cleaning in the tips above), some commonly used solutions to address different kinds of stains include dish soap, vinegar or baking soda solutions, and commercial cleaners. If you aren’t sure which would be best for your specific fence or stain, contact a fencing specialist for personalized guidance.
- Try pressure washing. Pressure washing can be done to clean both wood and vinyl fencing. However, there are a number of potential pitfalls to be aware of in deciding to use this method, as further discussed in the earlier tips.
With over 90 years in the fencing industry and recognition for our award-winning service, choose Orange Fence if you are looking for expertise and excellence in both work quality and service. For fencing installations and routine maintenance, arbor and pergola constructions and more, Orange Fence is here to help. Contact us today for a free service estimate or to discuss how to clean a vinyl fence or to schedule this work and any other fence care services.
