Stucco is a great building material for your home exterior. It’s a porous material that has a textured surface. And, because of its porosity, stain tends to easily accumulate on it, resulting in a buildup of debris, grime, and dirt. Hence the question arises; how to clean stucco surfaces professionally?
We’ll give you the answer! We’ll be using commercial store brought stucco cleaner + sprayer. It’s not a must for everyone else out there. But, that’s what we found is easier for us and time saving as it just sounds like “spray & forget”.
| Image | Name | Our Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Wet and Forget – Stucco Cleaner for Moss, Mold and Mildew |
5 out of 5 |
Check On Amazon | |
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CHAPIN – Multi-Purpose Sprayer with Foaming and Adjustable Nozzles |
5 out of 5 |
Check On Amazon |
First, you should consider the type of stucco (traditional, or synthetic). Based on that, you can choose your cleaner. Consequently, there’re several methods you might follow. So, let’s start with an overview of the different cleaning methods.
3 Different Stucco Cleaning Methods
There’re various ways you can choose to clean the stucco surface. The most common methods including using:
- Pressure washer
- Garden hose
- Cleaning agents
1. Pressure Washer
Pressure washing is a much faster and less labor-intensive cleaning method than using a garden hose. The best pressure washer to use on stucco should have a minimum pressure of about 1500 psi. You should utilize the 40-degree nozzle while using a pressure washer. Also, be very cautious about the nozzle distance to avoid damaging the finish because of the pressure.
2. Garden Hose
This involves washing down the stucco wall with a garden hose. One limitation of this approach is that it only removes a small amount of accumulated debris and dirt. It works well on semi-smooth to smooth textures. To get excellent results with this approach, utilize a medium stiffness brush to remove dirt.
3. Cleaning Agents
Apart from the above two techniques, you can get rid of tougher stains like mold, mildew, and dirt using specific cleaners. Although there are many cleaners you’ll find, the main ones include; commercial cleaners, TPS solution, warm soapy water, and bleach solution.
Read More About Mold exposure health problems.
7 Steps to Clean Exterior Stucco Walls and Siding
Sometimes, you might have tried cleaning the surface with liquid dish soap and water. Then, how well it was? I bet it’s not going to produce a good result than what ‘wet & forget’ cleaner can do!
Furthermore, you need special attention!
Stucco material is a bit fragile. So, you should be very careful while cleaning to avoid damages. And, that leaves you with one major concern; what’s the right way to clean the stucco exterior?
Well, the answer is below in 7 easy and quick steps –
Step 1: Preparation
Start by preparing the surface to help you get excellent results. This involves inspecting the entire surface for any chips or cracks.
Step 2: Fixing any Cracks
If you note any cracks or chips, fill them in with stucco fill or plaster. Then give the filling enough time to dry fully before you start cleaning. This can take a couple of days. So, any cracks or hanging pieces of the texture should be eliminated. And make sure you apply the cleaning solution directly to the core surface.
Step 3: Gather Cleaning Accessories
Once the filling has dried completely, it’s time to gather your cleaning accessories. Having all your essential tools in hand will make the process faster and much easier. Here’s what you need:
- Commercial Cleaner (Ready to use/ concentrate)
- Sprayer system
- PPE (Boots, Hand Gloves, Eyewear, etc…)
Step 4: Prepare the Stucco Cleaner
Mix the cleaner (for concentrate) into your sprayer. For this, you should follow the user guide to know the right water ratio. To give you an idea, 1.5 cups of concentrate cleaner is mixed in around 1 gal. of water. The preparation of the cleaning solution brings us to step number 5.
Step 5: Start Applying
Start by spraying downwards over the surface. That way, the dripping excess solution is not wasted. And, it also helps to save your time. For great results, let the solution sit in for taking its action. Some cleaners might require up to 24 hours to gift you a dirt-free surface. So, be patient as you expect the highest value of your money.
Step 6: Scrub where Needed
Some strong cleaners like our wet & forget cleaner doesn’t even require any scrubbing. But, in case your cleaner requires a bit, you shouldn’t avoid it especially for stubborn dirt. You might use a soft bristle cleaning brush to scrub gently over the fragile stucco surface.
Step 7: Rinse the Surface Throughly
Finally, it’s time to rinse the dirt and grimes off the surface. You might make use of your sprayer after the cleaning solution is finished. Just fill in the container with normal water and spray around for final clean-up.
5 Exclusive Stucco Cleaning Tips: (You Must Know)
Here’re a few tips to finish up neatly and professionally:
- Don’t avoid protective gears due to idleness.
- Maintain distance with kids and pets while cleaning.
- Use a cleaner that’s environmentally safe for outdoor use.
- Use a ready-to-use cleaner if you want to avoid preparing the solution.
- Cover your nearby beautiful garden shrubs with polythene sheets.
Conclusion
Similar to any building material in your home, the stucco exterior requires regular maintenance to get rid of the accumulated grime and dust. One such process is cleaning the surface using the right tools and techniques.
And, regular cleaning will eventually reduce your cost and labor.
FAQs
1. How do you remove green algae from stucco?
Answer: To remove green algae, use a garden hose to rinse the wall immediately with clear water. You can then clean the stucco regularly with water and liquid dish soap.
2. What causes black stains on stucco?
Answer: Black stains result from the buildup of dead dark cells of the algae Gloeocapsa magma. These are the microorganisms that tend to feed on the calcium carbonate found on the surface of unpainted stucco.
3. Is CLR effective on stucco?
Answer: CLR should not be applied on painted surfaces since it breaks down and lightens the paint. However, if the stucco is unpainted, CLR will be effective on it and you can, therefore, use it!
4. Is vinegar or bleach better for killing mold?
Answer: Vinegar is a better cleaning product to kill mold than bleach since it is non-toxic. But if it is not strong enough, you can use a heavily diluted bleach solution.
Note – All our comprehensive tutorials are in-depth internet research based where we try to help you sort out the difficulties. We certainly acknowledge the validity and authenticity of the information. Subject matter experts are highly welcome for their valuable suggestions.