How to Clean a Vinyl Fence

Straightforward steps on getting your vinyl fence back in tiptop shape

Co-authored by Guy Peters

Last Updated: November 20, 2024

Vinyl fencing is a convenient solution to traditional wooden fencing. Not only does it not rot, but it usually doesn’t need to be painted. However, cleaning vinyl fencing can be challenging, as it tends to become dirty somewhat quick. Fortunately, by picking a cleaning agent, applying it to your fence, and considering alternative methods like a pressure cleaner, you’ll be able to clean a vinyl fence.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Using Household Products

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1
Choose between vinegar and detergent. There are a wide variety of cleaning products you can use to help clean your vinyl fence. Two of the easiest to use, though, are vinegar and household dish detergent. Both are effective, cheap, and safe to use.
- Vinegar is a great natural product that you may already have at home.
- Mild dish detergents, like Dawn, will help cut through mildew, dirt, and more.^{[1]
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Create your cleaning solution. After you’ve decided which cleaning agent you want to use, you’ll need to mix it with water to create your cleaning solution.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional

Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.}
- If you choose vinegar, take 1 cup (240 ml) of vinegar and add it to 2 gallons (7.57 L) of water.
- If you choose dish detergent, take several tablespoons of detergent (depending on the brand) and add it to 2 gallons (7.57 L) of water.^{[3]
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3
Wipe down your fence. Take a rag or other cloth and soak it in your solution. Use it to wipe down your fence.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional

Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.} Make sure you wipe down your fence good and get as much dirt and grime off as possible.
- Go back and forth or in a swirl-like fashion to make sure you properly clean every portion of the fence.
- Make sure you have enough clean rags, so you can switch dirty ones out for clean ones as you need.
- You may want to use a bristled brush to scrub extra dirty sections of the fence.
- Consider using an extra bucket full of water to rinse your rag after you wipe down a section of the fence.^{[5]
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4
Rinse your fence. Use a hose with a sprayer nozzle to rinse your fence. Start at the top and move horizontally across and allow the water to wash debris downward. Slowly move down the fence, continuing to move in a horizontal direction.
- Without rinsing your fence, your cleaning solution and other dirt will set and your fence won’t appear clean.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Fighting Tough Stains

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1
Use a specialized solvent. If you’ve cleaned your fence with vinegar or detergent and it still appears dirty, you may need to try a specialized cleaning solvent. Some solvents are formulated to help remove dirt and grime from vinyl fences.
- Visit your local home improvement store and look for products specially formulated to clean vinyl siding and vinyl fences.
- Specialized solvents may come in their own spray bottles or you may need to pour them into a garden sprayer or similar device.^{[6]
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Spray a bleach solution on your fence. If you’ve used another method and still have trouble cleaning your vinyl fence, you may want to consider a bleach solution. Mix 1/3 cup (80 ml) of laundry detergent, 1 quart (.94 l) of bleach, and 1 gallon (3.78 l) of water. Pour the solution into a garden sprayer and spray down your fence.
- Avoid using this mixture on non-white vinyl.^{[7]
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3
Try high pressure water. If other methods have failed, you may want to consider using a pressure washer to clean your vinyl fence. High pressure water will help dislodge gunk, debris, or stains.
- Rent or purchase a pressure cleaner at a local home improvement box store or hardware store.
- Try using high pressure water without chemicals first.
- If you need to use chemicals, the pressure cleaner may have a small tank where you can pour a chemical solution. The pressure cleaner will automatically mix the chemical with the water as you spray it.^{[8]
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4
Use different methods and repeat as necessary. If you’ve tried one method to clean your vinyl and it still appears dirty, you may need to repeat or try another method of cleaning. Ultimately, vinyl fences exposed to the elements will collect a lot of dirt and may require substantial time to clean.
- Don’t be afraid to try several methods.
- You may need to use one method a couple of times to get the desired effect.^{[9]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Cleaning Safely

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1
Rinse down the area. Rinse the area until there is no chemical smell. In addition, spray the area until you don’t see any visible indications of chemicals, such as suds.
- If you use a well or are in area with a shallow aquifer, you should avoid using petrochemical cleaners.^{[10]
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Read the directions of chemical products. Before using any chemical product, you need to read the directions carefully. This is important, as different products will require you to take different safety precautions.
- Different products will require you to dilute them to a certain level.
- Follow directions about specialized safety equipment. For example, if a product recommends you use safety goggles, you should do so.^{[11]
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Avoid letting animals or small children play around the area. This is important, as animals or small children may unwittingly expose themselves to toxic cleaning agents.
- Keep dogs or other animals in the house or in a part of your yard that is separated from the fence for several hours.
- Don’t allow small children to play near the fence until the ground has dried.^{[12]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

Are there any other cleaning solutions I can use for this?

Ahmed Mezil
Cleaning Specialist
Ahmed Mezil is a Cleaning Specialist and the CEO of Hellamaid, a cleaning service operating out of Southern Ontario, Canada. With over four years of cleaning experience, Ahmed and his insured and bonded Hellamaid cleaning staff specialize in house cleaning, post-construction cleaning, commercial cleaning, deep cleaning, and disinfection cleaning on various home/building surfaces. Ahmed holds a BASc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, a MASc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto, and holds a Professional Engineering license in Ontario, Canada.

Ahmed Mezil

Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

You can also use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Just hose off the fence, let it dry, then wipe it down with the magic eraser.

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We have paint, tire marks, and grass stains on our vinyl fence. Can these be removed?

Chris

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Yes, however all three stains require different types of cleaning. To remove the paint, wait until it has fully dried and either peel or scrape it off. For the tire marks, slightly dampen a rag with lacquer thinner and rub the marks away. If the marks are being difficult, you can dampen the area with lacquer thinner and use a medium bristle scrub brush to remove them. For the grass stains, remove any loose debris from the fence and simply hose it down with high pressure. You can also use mild dish soap and water to remove the grass stains.

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Tips

When talking about fencing, the terms "PVC" and "vinyl" are typically used interchangeably. You can clean a PVC fence in the same way you clean a vinyl fence.

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