Tips and tricks for safe facade cleaning of your house

External walls get dirty and may also develop a greenish tarnish. That is why it is advisable to perform a facade cleaning from time to time. Here is how to do it efficiently end safely.

There are no specific times for facade cleaning. We clean the external walls when the need arises, although many professionals recommend carrying out this work once a year. Remember that regular cleaning protects surfaces against stubborn efflorescence.

Unfortunately, heavily soiled walls will be more challenging to clean. So what agents and devices should we use to remove various types of dirt effectively?

FACADE CLEANING EQUIPMENT

Small dirt can be easily removed with a brush and water, to which we can add a small amount of detergent. Use a medium-hard rice brush. Do not use wire brushes or tools with metal ends. Too strong an abrasion of the surface may damage the plaster.

To remove the dirt from the whole facade, we can use a pressure washer. We do not have to invest in specialist agents for facade cleaning - clean water will suffice, and we should use preparations only in case of more persistent dirt, e.g., algae or white efflorescence.

WASHING PRINCIPLES

Removing dirt with a pressure washer is easy and also effective. In the case of small dirt, a pressure washer with a pressure of up to 120 bar will suffice; it is better to choose a more powerful model for more considerable dirt.

Before we start working, let's check whether we will not cause any damage in a nonvisible place. Wash the walls from the top and gradually move downwards so that the dirt does not run down the already cleaned parts. If you have used additional liquid for facade cleaning, rinse it off after completing all the works.

It is advisable to use warm water for cleaning - its action is more intensive and effective, it significantly reduces dirt and shortens the walls' cleaning time. However, the water must not be too hot as it can lead to cracks.

All work is best done on a sunny day. Higher temperatures and sunlight will accelerate the drying of the facade. Moreover, washing cold walls may lead to the cracking of the plaster.

WITHOUT ALGAE AND LICHEN

Sometimes, green tarnish appears on the facade - it is the result of an attack of algae, lichen, and moss. To remove them, you will need good quality preparations. However, we start with preliminary cleaning of walls under pressure. Superficial dirt can be removed with clean water, and to remove more stubborn one, we can use a brush. After complete removal of green tarnish, it is worth using fungicides for facade cleaning. Their application will protect the surface against the renewed proliferation of biological contaminants.

FACADE PAINTING

Very often, after cleaning the facade, it will be necessary to paint it. All defects, cracks, and scratches must be filled in beforehand. Special highly flexible acrylic mortars or acrylic putties to be applied with a hand squeezer are recommended for this purpose. The type of paint should be selected according to the type of plaster. In the case of mineral plaster, we can use, e.g., silicone paint. Pay attention to whether the chosen paint has been tested regarding susceptibility to mold and algae growth.

IMPREGNATED WALLS

We can impregnate a clean wall to make it more resistant to dirt - we will be able to perform maintenance procedures much less frequently.

The impregnation can be done with special silicone, siloxane, or PTFE (Teflon) based products. The impregnating agent should not change the color of the facade and not make the surface shiny. It cannot also worsen the diffusion coefficient of plaster, i.e., decrease its vapor permeability.

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