A vinyl fence is one of the easier exterior jobs, as long as you resist the urge to blast it. Follow these nine steps to clear algae and mildew at low pressure, protect the plants and the neighbour's garden on the other side and avoid the scratches and cracks that cause most damage.
In This Article
Why vinyl fences need a light touch
Vinyl fencing is PVC with hollow rails and posts. That makes it lightweight and cheap to maintain, and it also makes it easy to harm. A pressure washer can crack older panels that have become brittle in the sun, and it can drive water and grit into hollow rails and post sleeves, where it may freeze in winter. Abrasive pads leave fine scratches that trap dirt and show up as dull tracks.
Fences also sit low and near plants, so the runoff goes into beds, lawn and, often, the neighbour's garden. The job is simple, but the details matter.
Growth on a fence follows a pattern. Green film gathers along the bottom, where soil and rain splash back. Dark mildew settles into the grooves of wood-grain panels and around the post caps, where water sits after a shower.
Gear and conditions
- Tools: a garden hose with a wide fan nozzle, a low-pressure garden sprayer, a soft brush or microfibre mop, and buckets.
- Cleaner: a ready-to-use exterior cleaner suited to vinyl, used exactly as the label directs, or plain mild soap for a light film.
- Protection: splash goggles, chemical-resistant gloves, long sleeves and closed shoes.
- Weather: overcast, calm and mild. Hot sun bakes cleaner onto the panels, wind blows mist onto neighbours' cars and plants, and frost turns rinse water to ice.
Black streaks creeping across your siding?
Our low-pressure soft wash removes algae, mould and black streaks without damaging your siding. Free, no-obligation quotes across Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge & Guelph, ready within 1 business day.
The nine steps
- Inspect first. Look for cracked rails, loose caps and rattling panels. Fix or note them, because water will find every gap.
- Test a hidden spot. Try the cleaner low on an inside corner, wait the label's dwell time, rinse and check for dulling or streaks.
- Talk to the neighbour. Runoff reaches their side, so tell them what you are doing and when.
- Protect plants. Soak the beds along the fence on both sides, move planters and cover delicate shrubs.
- Wet the panels. A light rinse with clean water cools the surface and helps the mix spread.
- Apply in short sections. Spray a few panels at a time so nothing dries before you rinse.
- Let it dwell. Follow the label. Rub only where growth is stubborn, with a soft brush or mop, never an abrasive pad or wire brush.
- Rinse from the top down. Use plenty of low-pressure water with a wide fan, and flush the top rail, caps and joints without forcing water into the hollow sections.
- Rinse the plants, uncover them and inspect. View the fence from a distance in good light and repeat any spots that still look green.
If you need a stepladder for the top of a tall privacy fence, keep three points of contact and never climb with the sprayer in your hand.
Stains a soft wash will not fix
- Orange or brown rust marks from sprinklers or well water. These are mineral stains, and they need a rust remover made for vinyl, used as a separate job and per its label.
- Chalky, dull patches. That is sun-aged surface, not dirt.
- Scuffs and scratches. These are physical marks.
- Cracks and warping. Those need repair or replacement.
For more on cleaning the material itself, see how to clean a vinyl fence in Ontario.
Keeping it clean after the job
- Keep soil, mulch and leaves from piling against the base of the panels.
- Trim shrubs and vines that touch the fence, since they hold moisture against it.
- Check where the sprinklers point. Repeated spray leaves mineral marks and keeps the lower rails wet.
- Give a shaded run a quick look each spring and fall, and rinse light film early, before it needs a treatment.
When to hand it over
A long run of fence, heavy dark growth, a steep or overgrown site, or a fence that backs onto a ravine can turn a Saturday job into a weekend project. Fences can also be added to a house wash while a crew is already set up, which we discuss in soft washing add-ons worth paying for. A soft washing quote from D&D is free and confirmed in writing before work begins.
Key Takeaways
- Vinyl fences crack under pressure and scratch under abrasives, so use a wide fan, soft brush and a label-directed cleaner.
- Choose a mild, overcast, calm day, test a hidden spot and wet plants on both sides of the fence first.
- Work in short sections, follow the dwell time, rinse from the top down and avoid forcing water into hollow rails.
- Rust marks, chalky patches, scuffs and cracks are not algae, and a soft wash will not remove them.
Request a home-service quote
Select the service you need and describe the work area and access.