Now’s the time for spring cleaning, both inside and outside your home!
While dusting and picking up the yard are probably already on your list, perhaps you haven’t thought much about your fence. If your fence is a couple of years old, you might have noticed it’s dirty or even moldy.
About Quality Fence, Omaha and Lincoln’s fencing experts, have a few tips to help. We not only offer quality fence installation, but we also provide homeowners the information to get the best out of their fence for years to come.
Algae, mold, mildew and dirt are the most common things to dirty a fence. Algae, mold and mildew are organic growths that are caused by moisture and accelerated by shade. These growths often leave a green, black or yellowish hue on your fence. Organic growth is most commonly found on wood fences and vinyl fences.
Dirt on fencing can be caused by a number of things, such as nearby construction or excess from the road. While dirt is more of a cosmetic issue, mold or mildew can damage the integrity of a wooden fence over time.
Either way, you want your fence to look clean and new. How to clean your fence will depend on the type of fence you have.
Even if your wood fence is stained or sealed, wood in inherently more porous material than vinyl or aluminum. This allows for the growth of organic material to eventually seep in. To refresh a wood fence, you will want to use a combination of cleaning solution and heavy-duty washing.
You can actually make your own cleaning solution at home using either vinegar or bleach. If using vinegar, use a 1:1 vinegar to water ratio. If using bleach, make your mixture with a 1:5 bleach to water ratio.
Soak rags in your cleaning solution and the scrub up and down both sides of the fence, making sure the mixture seeps into the wood itself for deep cleaning. After applying the solution, we recommend using a power washer to spray the fence clean. Most garden hoses don’t have enough water pressure to really clean the fence. You should be able to find a place that offers power washer rentals if you don’t own one.
Eliminating organic growth on your fence is crucial for its life expectancy. Wood fences last for on average 15-20 years if well maintained.
Vinyl fences still get dirty but are not porous like wood, so the integrity of the fence isn’t at risk. However, they can still collect dirt and mold and will need to be cleaned every so often.
The easiest way to clean a vinyl fence is again by using a power washer. It will be the easiest, fasted solution to a clean fence. But if you are looking for a cheaper way to clean your fence, you can use the cleaning solution mentioned above. It takes a big more elbow work but can still get you the results.
A well-built fence can last well over 50 years, and cleaning it each spring can have it looking new for the entire time.
An aluminum fence is by far the easiest to clean because you really don’t have to! If you are looking for a low maintenance fence, aluminum fences are the most durable and require the least maintenance.
Mildew or algae could potentially grow on your fence, but it won’t damage the fence and is easy to spray off with a power washer. When it comes to dirt, you can leave all your worries behind. The dark color of aluminum fences means that even if there is some surface dirt, you won’t see it.
Most homeowners don’t need to clean their aluminum fence to keep it looking clean and stylish for years to come.
If you are tired of cleaning your old fence or still don’t have a fenced in yard, About Quality Fence can help design and install your new fence this spring. Whether you prefer the privacy of a wooden fence, are looking for a fence for your dog, or want to design a showpiece aluminum fence for your yard, we have what you need!