Should You Pressure Wash Your Building Before or After You Paint?

As we’re in the thick of spring — and homeowners are in the home maintenance and upkeep mindset — this concern often arises: “I need to pressure wash my vinyl siding, but I need to do touch-up painting of trim work, doors, and other exterior surfaces of my home. What should I do first — pressure washing or painting?

When Should I Pressure Wash My Home or Commercial Building?

First, let’s take a quick look at your home’s siding and brickwork. These surfaces can collect many kinds of dirt and debris; some of it is so fine that it’s not visible. Airborne pollutants, dirt, mold, and mildew can collect on vinyl siding and brick. You can tell if you have mold and mildew. Mold presents itself on siding like zillions of tiny black dots that look like pepper. Green mold spores are easy to see and usually on the side of your home with the least sun.

Brick surfaces can also accumulate mold and mildew but also have another visible type of dirt that appears like white chalk. That white chalky substance on your brick is lime deposits. Lime leeches out of brick over time and comes out with the changing seasons. Whatever is on your brick or siding must be removed. The best way to remove dirt, mold, mildew, and lime deposits is by pressure washing or pressure cleaning your siding or brick.

The remaining question is when to pressure wash or pressure clean these surfaces. Exterior maintenance professionals suggest that homeowners should pressure clean their home’s exterior before they paint any surface. But here’s the key: the pressure-cleaned surfaces need at least three to five days of dry weather before painting begins.

Contact KEVCO at (301) 258-9750 to schedule residential or commercial pressure washing throughout the DC metro area.

Why Should I Power Wash My Home or Commercial Building?

Benefits of Power Washing Before Painting

Pressure washing removes the grime and dirt that has collected on your siding and blows off flaking and loose paint that you or a painting professional would otherwise need to scrape off. Some pressure washing or pressure cleaning machines have a port for detergent and a low-pressure setting that lets you treat mold while you’re washing, ensuring the mold doesn’t return after you paint.

You can pressure wash vinyl siding; however, aluminum siding — which is quite an old product — can usually not be pressure washed. This is because aluminum siding isn’t used anymore, and if a home still has this type, it’s usually past its life span and can’t be cleaned. To test this, rub your hand across the siding; if a white chalky substance comes off on your hands, the chances are it’s aluminum, and most responsible contractors won’t clean it.

Wood siding dries slower than vinyl or aluminum. If you can’t get to the painting job immediately after washing, don’t wait longer than a month. If you do, enough dirt is likely to collect to require another pressure washing.

Schedule Power Washing in DC, MD & Northern VA

If you need power washing services for your home or commercial building in Washington, DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia, KEVCO is the company to call.

Call (301) 258-9750 today to schedule pressure washing services in the DC metro area.