The best way to clean fiber cement siding is by soft washing it.
Pressure washing fiber cement siding.
Power washing or pressure washing can be too harsh for fiber cement siding.
Here are the keys to pressure washing fiber cement siding.
Note that pressure washing can damage some siding products so check with your siding manufacturer before use.
If using a soft cloth wet the cloth then wipe the area in a side to side motion in the direction of the plank shingle or panel siding until clean.
Sand blasting can damage the fiber cement surface and is not recommended.
Here is a link to the james hardie recommended cleaning methods.
Using wide fan tips that are kept a minimum of 6 feet from the wall and at pressures under 1500 psi will minimize the chance of damaging the siding.
Choose a pressure washer.
Rub the oil or grease off the siding.
How to pressure wash fiber cement siding 1.
2 use wide fan tips in the wand of the pressure washer.
Be sure to completely rinse it free of any soap residue.
If you re spraying mold and mildew off of your siding you should use more than just water.
Use a side to side motion when cleaning horizontal planks.
If you feel that you need to use a pressure washer especially on harder to reach locations only use it at a low pressure under 1500 psi with a wide tip.
From there rinse the area with clean water.
1 keep a minimum distance of 6 from the wall.
This can be a great quick way to clean siding but power washing can damage fiber cement siding.
You may need to repeat.
3 use pressure under 1500 psi.
If using a pressure washer care must be taken to ensure that the water stream does not damage the surface of the siding.
A 3000 psi consumer grade gas pressure washer is a great choice for cleaning fiber cement.
Dip a soft cloth into the mixture and saturate it well.
The higher pressure can damage the siding leading to cracks and a shorter lifespan.
Soft washing provides just enough pressure to remove caked on dirt and debris without causing any damage to your siding.
Pressure power washing.
If using a brush brush the siding s surface dust or dirt then rinse the area with a garden hose.
This is one of the few ways that you can damage it.
Do not use a high pressure hose to clean fiber cement siding.
Only use a pressure washer at a distance of 6 feet or more.
When using a pressure washer to clean any siding you need to prevent water from becoming trapped between the siding and your home s sheathing because the moisture promotes mold.
Mix a mild dish detergent and water in a bucket until you have sudsy water.
However great care must be taken in doing so.