Easily Remove Algae From Your Home's Siding With Two Common Household Staples

Cleaning the exterior of your home is just as important as tidying the interior, but you don't need a power washer to tackle black or green algae. You can easily remove it from your home's vinyl siding with a simple solution made of two household staples: bleach and water. Though bleach is a powerful chemical, it can gently eradicate algae without damaging your siding, provided you dilute it well. In just a short scrubbing session, the bleach will help make your vinyl siding look new again.

When dealing with algae on its vinyl exterior, it's not just curb appeal that's a concern for your home. Left unchecked, it can stain your siding, leaving behind marks that are tough to remove. Painted siding is especially vulnerable. The algae traps moisture on these surfaces, which can encourage chips, cracks, and other deterioration in the paint, potentially causing more damage over time. Additionally, algae could provide a convenient landing point for dirt or dust in the air, leading to an unsightly mess and further erosion of the paint. To prevent all of this from happening, here's how to use bleach to get rid of stubborn algae on your siding once and for all.

Bleach is corrosive and requires thorough dilution, or else it can damage your vinyl siding. Mix well, combining one part bleach with 10 parts water. Ensure you mix it outside, as bleach emits fumes which can be dangerous in a small space, and wear goggles for protection. For easy, targeted application, you can combine the two ingredients in a spray bottle and apply the mixture directly to the siding. Before covering all everything with the bleach solution, however, do a small patch test to see if your vinyl can handle it. Let it sit for several minutes after application, then rinse with a garden hose. You should then be good for nine months to a year before you may need to apply the bleach solution again, though this depends on your location and the specific weather conditions. 

You can mix your solution with any bleach, but some contractors recommend using oxygen bleach, also known as non-chlorinated bleach. The bleach type is a bit gentler on the environment, which is why it's a popular way to remove mold from your patio. This alternative is good for those who have plants close to their siding that they want to minimize potential damage to. Despite this fact, you should always cover your shrubs or other plants well to protect them from the chemical, even if diluted.