Vinyl fences provide a quality choice for homeowners looking to avoid maintenance. This material is highly durable and requires little care, even through years of use. On average, these barriers last 20 to 30 years or even longer.
You can extend the life span of your fencing through regular maintenance. Consistent maintenance improves safety while also keeping your fence and property looking great. While the material is low-maintenance, you can follow several vinyl fence maintenance tips to keep it in good condition, including cleaning and inspections.
Clean Your Fence Periodically
Use these materials to clean your fence:
- Dish soap
- Warm water
- Microfiber towel, sponge or soft brush
- Hose
- Bucket
These materials gently yet powerfully remove buildup on the surface without wearing off the exterior or causing scratches and other damage. You can also power wash a vinyl fence using low pressure and careful cleaning techniques.
How to Clean a Vinyl Fence
Here’s a step-by-step overview of the steps involved in cleaning a vinyl fence:
- Prepare: Gather all of your supplies and add dish soap to the bucket. Then, fill the bucket with warm water.
- Rinse: Wet the surface with your garden hose. This step loosens dirt and prepares for cleaning. It may be easiest to wet small sections at a time.
- Wash: Grab your towel or soft brush and dip it in the soapy water. Start at the top of a panel and scrub in circular motions, moving toward the bottom.
- Rinse: Wash the soapy water and any remaining dirt off the panel you scrubbed.
- Repeat: Wet the surface of the next panel, wash it and rinse. Continue this process until you finish the entire area.
If you plan to use a pressure washer instead, follow a similar process but with some modifications. Only use low pressure, less than 2,000 psi, to prevent damage to the panels. Wet the surface with water first, then prepare the pressure washer by adding a cleaning solution designed for use in a pressure washer and on vinyl fences.
Spray the fence, keeping the pressure washer head at least 3 feet away. If you notice any spots remaining after spraying, use a cloth or soft brush to scrub them. After washing, rinse from top to bottom.
Be Careful of Nearby Objects
These fences are highly resistant to warping, breaking and chipping. However, they can still sustain damage over time without proper care. Some of this damage comes from brush and natural materials, which scratch against the sides, leave stains or cause mold growth. Prevent mold on a vinyl fence by trimming bushes and nearby plants so they don’t touch the surface. Clear grass clippings, leaves and branches, which pile up on the bottom.
Take care when mowing or trimming near your fencing so that you don’t hit it, as the impact could cause dents or scratches. If you use a trimmer near the fence, stick with a soft nylon trimmer line. Work slowly and steadily around the perimeter and keep the head from hitting the sides. Also, avoid placing heavy objects like ladders or bicycles near your fences, as they could fall and cause damage.
Perform an Annual Inspection
Regular inspections allow you to check for minor damage or stains. By identifying potential issues early, you can remedy them before they get worse. During your annual inspection, check for any minor damage, mold or mildew.
Remove Tough Stains
If you notice mildew, mix one part bleach with five parts water. Wear gloves and scrub the area with a soft brush or sponge. Only use bleach on a white fence, not on colored ones. For mold, use vinegar instead of bleach and a similar cleaning process. Here’s what to do for other tough stains:
Hard water: Over time, water leaves stains on your vinyl surfaces. Depending on the minerals present in the water, these stains may be white, pink, brown or black. Use a rust removal product that’s safe for vinyl to remove them.
Rust: While these barriers don’t rust, nearby pipes or hinges can cause stains. A vinyl-safe rust cleaner is best for removing rust stains.
Paint: Wipe fresh paint that drips on the surface before it has a chance to dry. If paint dries on the surface, try using a plastic scraper to remove it. Rubbing alcohol can also help break down dry paint.
Grease: Sometimes, grease comes off with dish soap and water during annual cleaning. If not, try pouring mineral spirits on a rag and wiping the stain. After removing the grease, wipe again with soap and water.
Take Care of Minor Vinyl Fence Maintenance
During your inspection, you may notice minor repairs you can address, such as cracks or holes. Typically these issues happen due to lawnmowers or weed eaters throwing rocks or debris against the fence. If you see any damage to your fence, We keep the material in stock and can come replace or fix any issues you may have.
Rely on Existing Protection
The material used for these panels comes with existing UV protection, making maintenance easier.
Don’t Paint or Apply Coatings
Vinyl comes in many colors, so you don’t need to paint it like a wood fence. Vinyl fences can’t be painted because most paint types lack UV protection and fade over time. By contrast, the existing panels have UV protection baked into them to maintain their color. If you notice an issue you can’t scrub away, it’s better to get a replacement fencing piece that matches the previous aesthetics than to paint over it.
You don’t need to apply chemical coatings for pests, either — vinyl fences don’t need added protection to keep termites and other pests away.
Rest Easy With a Warranty
We offer a Lifetime Craftsmanship warranty with our vinyl fences, so you can rest easy knowing that if we installed anything against our standard practices, we will fix it at no charge for as long as you live at the property.
Let Master Fence Install Your Murfreesboro Vinyl Fence
Those who want to know how to keep a vinyl fence clean can rest easy knowing it requires minimal maintenance. This quality makes the material an excellent choice for your home.
If you need professional fence installation in Middle Tennessee, turn to Master Fence. When you come to us, you get a limited lifetime warranty on materials and a lifetime craftsmanship warranty, giving you peace of mind. We also offer financing options to make getting a high-quality fence with expert installation easier.
Master Fence serves you in Middle Tennessee near Murfreesboro and Manchester. Contact us online, call 615-697-4311 or schedule an estimate for installation.
