How to Clean a Vinyl Fence
Vinyl fencing is durable, practical, and available at various price points; it’s an excellent choice for nearly every homeowner. Required maintenance for a vinyl fence is relatively low, but when it’s time to clean yours, you’ll want to know how to do it properly. The experts at Myers Fencing know a thing or two about cleaning vinyl fence panels, and we’re sharing the best tips with you to keep your fence sparkling clean.
How Often Should You Clean Vinyl Fencing Panels?
White vinyl fences can go from gorgeous to grimy relatively quickly, so it’s inevitable that yours will need a cleaning every few months. Vinyl fencing panels get especially dirty in the spring and summer when there are more pollen, dust, and grass clippings from mowing your yard flying through the air, so they’ll require more frequent cleaning during these times. Vinyl is a sturdy material, so just keep an eye on it and give it a good wash whenever it starts to look a little grimy.
Ways to Clean a Vinyl Fence
There are a few different ways to tackle cleaning your vinyl fence, and the one you choose will depend on your own personal preference plus how dirty your fence has gotten.
Garden Hose
You can usually get away with quick spraying with your garden hose for a minimally dirty fence. Use the highest-pressure spray setting or invest in a high-pressure nozzle. Start at the top to avoid splashing dirt back onto already clean areas. Even if you know your fence will require more elbow grease, starting with your hose is an excellent way to remove loose surface debris to make your job easier.
DIY Fence Cleaner
The powers of dish soap and vinegar never cease to amaze us when cleaning vinyl fence panels. Add between ½ and one cup of white vinegar and a squirt of dish soap to a gallon of water to make your cleaner. Use a microfiber cloth to scrub your fence; remember that areas with tough grime may require a second pass with the cleaning solution and cloth. After scrubbing, use your hose to spray off the dirt and cleaner. Even though it’s a very diluted solution, you should rinse the area around the bottom of your fence to ensure the cleaner doesn’t sit on your lawn or landscaping.
Getting Rid of Stubborn Stains
Sometimes your vinyl fencing will have stains that the average DIY cleaner can’t handle. In these cases, you must rely on specialized vinyl fence cleaners or a mixture of bleach and water. If you’re using a fence cleaner, follow the instructions on the package. To make your fence cleaner with bleach, mix up a 1:16 ratio of bleach to water or one cup of bleach for every gallon of water. You should wear rubber gloves to keep the bleach solution from touching your skin and use a brush to scrub the mildew stains. Please do not use too much bleach in your water mixture, as it can erode the surface of vinyl fencing panels. When you’re done scrubbing, rinse your fence well with water and enjoy its like-new appearance.
Contact Us
Myers Fencing is your local go-to for all residential, commercial, and temporary fencing needs. Ask us about pool fencing and chain link options. Contact us today with your vinyl fencing questions or for an estimate for a new fence. We are located in Nicholasville, KY, and proudly serve Lexington, Nicholasville, Versailles, Georgetown, Louisville, and Richmond, KY.