TikTok's Clever Hack Makes Cleaning Your Home's Exterior Easier Than Ever

If you have a siding house, you know it requires some upkeep to keep it looking pristine. After a few months of heavy winds, rainfall, or snow, the once-clean exterior begins to look grimy. It can even happen in cooperative weather, when all the pollen, surrounding street pollution, and regular wear and tear help add scuffs, smudges, and dirt to the smooth planks. This can require a homeowner to invest in a full day of scrubbing or power washing, but it turns out that there could be an easier way to make your siding look like new. And all you need is a basic spin mop. 

Rather than giving your arm a muscle ache scrubbing with a bristle brush or going through a dangerous learning curve with a pressure washer, you can wash your siding walls with the mop you already have in your cleaning closet. Not only does this give your mop an extra use — giving you more bang for your buck — but you also don't have to go out and buy or rent a fancy appliance to keep your curb appeal. Here's how to do it. 

To use this hack, all you need is your spin bucket, your spin mop, an all-purpose concentrated cleaner such as Simple Green, and warm water. Pour the recommended amount of your cleaner into the spin bucket, diluting it with a gallon of warm water. Dip your spin mop into the bucket, getting suds onto its ropes. Spin out the excess, and apply the mop head to your siding, sliding it back and forth as you would on the floor. Dip it back into the bucket to rinse the dirt and get more solution, and repeat. Then simply take a hose and spray the area clean.  

If you're cleaning an area where your hose doesn't reach, you can also quickly wipe away any leftover dirt with damp microfiber cloths or old towels before it dries back onto the surface. Once the siding is finished, you can also run the mop over things like front porch poles, rails, or windows. 

If you want to use this hack, make sure you have a separate mop head for outdoor use and indoor use. You don't want to mop your floors with the same head you used to scrape off pollution grime and algae from your exterior siding. It will be much filthier, and you can spread some of that dirt inside. 

If you're washing your entire house, then make sure you're frequently dumping out the water from your bucket and replenishing it with fresh water and suds. Depending on how long it was between cleanings, the water can get dirty quickly, and you don't want to use contaminated water to clean your siding. You will just be adding the grime back onto the wall. This is especially true if you decide to wash your windows with the mop. Ensure you have clean, sudsy water before tackling that project.