How to wash a house?

[HNT ETX]

What should I use? I am going to pressure wash my house this weekend, is there some kind of pre-soak I should use that will be good on mildew? It is hardy plank and brick.

[TexaswBOWhunter]

I just did this on the north side of my house (only side that mildews) and bleach worked pretty well, still had to lightly scrub it but the results were really good.... My house is all hardy plank!!!

[oneforthewall]

Pressure washer with a little soap should take care of it.

[chongo]

Pressure washer - soap mixed with a little bleach - down stream it though and don't run it through your pump.

[switchback]

When I worked for a buddy of mine, We always used some bleach in a pump sprayer with water. Spray on and wait about 15 minutes and start power washing it off.

[True Texan]

I always use bleach at a low pressure on the pressure washer. Apply the bleach to one side of the house and then change the nozzle to the high pressure wash nozzle and then wash the bleached area. Make sure that the bleached area does not dry before pressure washing it off. This has always worked well for me. Good luck..

[mev002]

When I worked for a buddy of mine, We always used some bleach in a pump sprayer with water. Spray on and wait about 15 minutes and start power washing it off.

i do this as well, works great

[daveally]

Bleach or JoMax. Either will kill the mildew. Dead mildew spores can still leave dark stains so if that happens just hit it with a scrub brush and some detergent.

[chongo]

Also - just to be safe wet the grass and or trees/plants near where you will be spraying the bleach - you should be using such a little amount that there won't be any issues but again to be safe get all the plants wet before using bleach.

[TexasBob]

Careful with the higher pressure nozzles and the brick. Was helping my SIL a couple summers ago and noticed I was removing some of the mortar/grout- whatever it is called with brick.

Edit- It was an older house and a heck of a pressure washer, but still.

[Shane]

I can't believe y'all are missing the obvious answer. The best way is to hire a lovely bikini-clad group of ladies with sudsy buckets of soap and garden hoses. DUH!!

[TexaswBOWhunter]

I can't believe y'all are missing the obvious answer. The best way is to hire a lovely bikini-clad group of ladies with sudsy buckets of soap and garden hoses. DUH!!

You Sir..... are correct, I will keep this in mind next go round!!!

[HNT ETX]

Although I really like Shane's idea, there will be ladders involved and I fear safety would be an issue.

I think I am going to go with the bleach and water in the pump sprayer. What part bleach to water? Is 1 part bleach, 3 parts water, too much bleach?

[Closetohome]

I worked at the paint department at Home Depot when I was in college...we used to tell customers 4 parts water to 1 part bleach or about a 20% solution. The reasoning was that if the solution was too strong the spores would close off and not absorb it...too weak and it wouldnt have a very good cleaning effect. Not sure if it is true but it always seemed to work.

[Biggun]

jomax