How To Clean Vinyl Fencing Step by Step

plastic fence damage

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How to clean white vinyl fencing

How do you clean vinyl fencing? This question came upon me when I was opening my gate to enter the back yard and noticed that the fence was looking neglected.  I have my 13 year old son cutting the yard and he runs the lawnmower wheels along the fence leaving a black mark.  I also just had my roof repaired and the roofers left tar ridden fingerprints all along the fence.
These events have left my white vinyl fencing less than desirable to look at with a feeling of luxury.  So I began a search for the most effective way on how to clean white vinyl. Below is the basic cleaning instructions then the deep clean for the black marks.

 

Fence Cleaning and Maintenance

How To Clean Vinyl Fence:

Materials Needed:

* Water hose

* pail of soapy water or spray bottle of vinyl cleaning solution.

* Soft cloth rags

* Soft scrub brush (for tougher stains or dirt)

Level of Difficulty:

* 2 – Vinyl fencing is relatively easy to clean but can wish a tiny “elbow grease” or extra scrub for some tougher stains and dirty spots.

Recommended Time Frame for Cleaning a Vinyl Fence:

* For maximum results; you should clean your vinyl fence at least once every 3 – 6 months.

Cleaning:

A few reasons why you would need to clean your vinyl fence would be: dirt and/or grass from the ground accumulating on the fence due to cutting the grass, leaves or other debris after a storm and rarely; you will consideration a type of chalk build up make on parts of the vinyl fence. These reasons are not major and are in fact cleaned as explained below.

The majority of vinyl fences can be cleaned very in fact by just spraying the fence down with a water hose; however, if there are some tough stains that a water hose does not take care of, just follow the formula below and your fence will look brand new every time you clean it!

To get ready for cleaning a vinyl fence, you will want to conclude if you are going to use a pail of soapy water or a vinyl cleaning explication (can be purchased at your local hardware store) or a compound of both. If you are using a pail of soapy water, you will want to fill the pail with water to your desired estimate and mix an environmentally safe cleaning explication in the bucket. (Tip: If it is environmentally safe,… It is vinyl fence safe)

After you have your pail of soapy water, all you must do now is get your soft cloth rag wet via the water in the pail and wipe down the areas of the fence that need wiped down. If you are using a spray bottle of vinyl cleaning solution, just spray the areas of the fence that need cleaned and wipe with a dry soft cloth rag. When you are accomplished cleaning an area of the fence, rinse it off with a water hose and allow it to air dry….More at Fence Cleaning and Maintenance – Azek

 

 

So I tried a couple of methods of cleaning my white vinyl fencing that were recommended for removing the black marks.  I sampled the methods in a inconspicuous area in case of potential eye sore.
First, the WD40 method didn’t work.  Black rubs from the lawnmower wheels didn’t budge with a spray from the can and some elbow grease with a rag. Next test.
Second, I tried using acetone.  This worked like a charm.  The black disappeared with just a gentle wipe of the rag soaked in the solvent.  To continue the test I want to see if the chemical will damage the fence.
After several hours of application the fence still looks a bit damp as if I have just applied it.  I haven’t noticed a chalky residue yet.  I hope it dries and looks normal.  I will have to report back on that result.
Of course it works on the vinyl fence post caps too.  Here is a video of the method.
Never use gasoline to clean your fence! It will remove the marks but will destroy the fence in the long run.  Not to mention its a dangerous method to use, but you already knew that huh?