Cleaning Stucco Stains
Modern stucco is a great way to decorate the exterior of a home. It gives the house a sturdy look and can be painted in almost any color. However, as many who have had stucco for years can attest, stucco can often be extremely stubborn when it comes to cleaning. Since the material is textured, it often catches and holds on to dust and grime. Here are a couple of steps to take to ensure that your stucco is cleaned safely and effectively.
Identify the Spots
If the goal is to get rid of all the stains on the stucco exterior of a home, then a thorough search for all of the stains and spots is a must. This is especially true if the home is more than one story tall. Since stucco is porous and textured, dust, dirt, grime, and even water can get caught inside it. Make sure to thoroughly check for water and other types of natural damage. Failing to do so may cause water or other elements to sit and deteriorate the material. This will cause the stucco to rot, crack, chip, and fall off the exterior of a home. Once you’ve identified all of the areas that need work, gather the materials you will need to clean the stucco yourself.
Pressure Washer Cleaning
A pressure washer will work, but using it largely depends on the state of the stucco exterior. If the walls have lots of cracks, splits, and chips, then preparation steps need to be taken before a pressure washer is used. If you’re set on using a pressure washer, then check and fix the state of your stucco so that there aren’t any cracks, chips, or splits in the walls. You may even need to drain some water pockets to get this task done. Once the damaged areas are clean and dry, then you can proceed to patch them up. These issues can be fixed using some stucco fill or plaster.
Once this is done, it is recommended to wait a week before using the pressure washer. This will allow the stucco fill to dry properly to take on the pressure washer. When using the washer, make sure to choose the appropriate setting that allows for the water to get in between cracks. Also, keep the spray nozzle at least two feet away from the stucco. Any closer, and it will probably damage it and undo the work you’ve already done.
Hand Cleaning Stucco
To begin cleaning your stucco by hand, you are going to need:
- Water Hose
- Bucket
- Scrub Brush
- Concentrated Cleaner
Just as with the pressure washer, to get a uniform look on your stucco, make sure to patch up any areas with noticeable damage. Fill them up as well if necessary. You will only need to wait about four days instead of the week the pressure washer requires for hand cleaning. Once the four days have passed, you’re ready to go.
Start by watering down the stucco with the hose. This will begin to loosen some of the dirt and grime that is trapped. Then, fill a bucket with some water and the concentrated cleaner. Once these things are ready, you can begin scrubbing away. Use the scrub brush to wipe at the stucco walls and spend some extra time on those tough stains.
Constant Maintenance
Although a good deep clean will help restore the look of a stucco exterior, it won’t stay that way unless it receives proper maintenance. Painting your stucco with the right type of coat can help protect it against rain, winds, dirt along the base, and other natural elements. If the whole scope of the project seems like too much, contact us today! We can help with cleaning and painting home or commercial exteriors.