Vinyl siding cleaning and maintenance in Calgary can be frustrating, especially when you discover mold. Whether it’s a new situation or a recurring problem, it’s an unattractive and unwelcome phenomenon. Luckily, it’s not difficult to remove mold—and maybe even keep it from coming back!

What causes mold on vinyl siding

Mold and mildew are omnipresent because it doesn’t take much for them to grow—all they need are a food source and water, both of which Calgary has in abundance. Trees—especially maple—can give off a fine, sugary aerosol spray that clings to your home’s siding. Water, particularly in the spring and fall, when rain and snow are plentiful, are all mold and mildew need to form. This is especially due to the moist soil located near the bottom of your siding; it can be a water source for mold, and before you know it, mold is moving up your siding. This is especially true on your north-facing walls—the sun won’t reach it until later in the day, allowing the morning dew to linger.

How to remove mold from your home’s siding

Now that you know how mold, mildew and algae form, you’re probably wondering how to keep them from coming back. Here’s the bad news: unless you move to the desert, you’re probably going to continue to deal with mold, because there’s no “magic bullet” additive or coating that will entirely prevent it from growing. Luckily, it’s easy to remove, and when done correctly, the process should help stave off formation for weeks or even months to come.

First, you can try spraying your siding with copper sulfate, which inhibits the growth of mold, mildew and algae. However, this isn’t necessarily the most environmentally-friendly solution (your trees will not enjoy it) and it will wash off in the next rainfall.

Your best bet is to combine powdered oxygen bleach, liquid dish soap and water in your garden hose sprayer attachment. Spray this mixture on your siding and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, allowing the bleach to kill the mold and mildew as well as any food sources for the organisms. The dish soap will help lubricate the siding and help the substances move away from the siding when you rinse with clean, fresh water.

If you do this at least once per year, after the weather starts to warm up, you should have much better luck keeping mold and mildew from forming on your vinyl siding. Be sure to walk around your home once per month and look for new growth, repeating the process as necessary. With a little vigilance and some basic household cleaners, your home will look great all year long.

Rhino Exteriors is Calgary’s premier source for vinyl siding and installation, soffit and fascia repair, battens, smartboards and more. If your home needs an exterior upgrade, we have everything you need all in one place. Call us today to learn more about our services and get a free estimate for your vinyl siding installation.