Clean Cedar Siding Before Staining

Only difference between cleaning new and old wood is new wood does not require much cleaning as old discolored wood sometimes does.

Clean cedar siding before staining.

Do not attempt to power wash your cedar siding. Department of agriculture s forest services laboratory recommends cleaning cedar shingles with an oxidizing bleach as opposed to a household bleach to avoid damaging the wood. After you have washed it wait for it to dry before applying any stain to the cedar. Before staining replace rotting or decayed wood and remove loose stain and eroded wood fibers by sanding scraping or power washing the problem surfaces.

Power washing can damage the wood and bleach can damage a power washer. Get rid of that grunge by cleaning your cedar siding with an oxygen bleach and choosing a protectant that doesn t feed future mold growth. While you can use household bleach to kill mold and algae it tends to make the cedar shingle s surface fuzzy because of the excessive pulping reaction when using it. Though it may be more time consuming always clean your cedar siding by hand.

Cedar siding after mold removal cleaning and brightening. Prepare your cedar siding by washing it with soapy water to remove any dirt or dust if any has accumulated. If cedar is aged having grey weathered and or ugly black mildew all over the best cedar cleaner by far is oxi clean laundry detergent saving time and money and is also a must before staining. Cedar shingles can also grow moss and algae or develop iron staining which requires periodic cleaning.

Staining the restored cedar siding. In the past he had used oil based wood stain products but found the mold and mildew returning within a few years each time. Use a thick brush when staining.