This is the Best Time to Pressure Wash Your Home

There’s no better way to remove unsightly grime, mildew and algae from your home than by giving it a bath with a pressure washer. However, timing is key to getting the most out of your effort. Choosing the right season, monitoring outdoor temperatures, and even checking the forecast for cloud cover are all essential steps in planning the perfect wash.

Spring is the Best Season 

Homes accumulate mildew, salt, and grime during wet and snowy winters, making spring the ideal time for a much-needed bath. It’s also the perfect way to prep decks and patios for backyard barbecues and lounging during the warmer months. While spring is ideal, summer and fall are also effective; however, freezing temperatures make winter a poor—and potentially dangerous—time for the job.

Related: Your Dishwasher Isn't Broken—You’re Just Ignoring This Part

Ideal Temperatures

Most homeowners are anxious to wash their home or rinse salt residue off their driveway following a harsh winter, but you must wait until temperatures are consistently above 50°F.. If you wash too early and water gets trapped under siding or in masonry, it can freeze, expand and cause cracking or spalling. 

Extreme heat is also bad for pressure washing. Pressure washing on hot days can cause water and cleaning solutions to dry too quickly, leading to streaking and residue on your siding. If hot weather is in the forecast, aim for the early morning or early evening to avoid the heat of the day. 

The Pollen and Pest Factor

Be strategic. You don’t want to spend a whole day pressure washing or a few hundred dollars on a pressure washing service only to  have your home covered in a coat of green and yellow a week later. Wait until after the spring pollen dump to schedule your pressure washing. That way you can clear the accumulation of winter mildew and along with the pollen accumulation from spring all in one fell swoop, ensuring your home looks beautiful all summer long. 

Spring is also when spiders and wasps begin their nest building activities in covered porches, eaves, and window wells. By timing your pressure washing for late spring, you blast away cobwebs and mud dauber nests, helping to keep your home pest free for the summer. 

Overcast Days

A bright sunny day may seem like the best time to pressure wash your home. It isn’t. Direct sunlight heats up your home, making it difficult to get a good wash as it causes the cleaning solution to evaporate before the detergents have time to break up the algae and grime. This premature drying often leaves behind unsightly streaks. For best results, wait for a calm overcast day. 

Windy Days

Most people check the forecast for rain and fail to take into account wind. If it’s a gusty day, wind can make it very difficult to control where your cleaning detergents land. Don’t pressure wash if sustained winds are above 15 miles per hour unless you want more cleaner to end up on your rose bushes than your siding.

Wet Weather

Pressure washing while it’s raining is a bad idea but so too is pressurewashing after a heavy rain. 

• Decks and wood siding: Wood absorbs large amounts of water and requires time to dry. Since pressure washing wet wood can cause it to splinter, wait three days after a heavy rain before pressure washing a deck or wood siding.
• Aluminum and vinyl siding: While aluminum and vinyl siding dries quickly, moisture behind the siding requires time to evaporate. Pressure washing before this has time to happen invites mold growth.