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When it comes to cleaning cedar shingles there is a right way and dozens of wrong ways to go about it. Cedar shingles are used for siding or as roofing material, both should be cleaned regularly for both looks and to extend the shingle or “shakes” life. As with any home improvement project, you must have a plan and that plan should include the product that you will be using to clean with, the equipment that you will need and the procedure that you will follow to get the job done.

Why clean your shingles? The first thing that comes to my mind is how much they cost to replace, that alone should be enough reason to clean your shingles. Cedar shingles are a perfect breeding ground for mold, mildew, algae, moss and lichen all of which eat away at your shingles causing cracks and curling. These funguses hold water sometimes leading to leaks but the most damage comes from the rotting of the wood. The most infected areas are usually the north facing sides or sections in constant shade. Cleaning your cedar shingles is proper maintenance of an expensive investment. A new wood roof on an average size home would cost approximately $25,000 and the siding of the same home about $15,000 to replace and yet people do not clean them regularly.

The tools that you will need, I’m sure that you already have. A “garden style” pump sprayer, hose, a ladder (put on stabilizer bars for safety) and a medium bristle scrub brush. What you do not need is a pressure washer; this is a common mistake when it comes to cleaning wood shingles. High pressure loosens shingles, cuts a layer of wood off, which will lead to curling and also spreads and pushes the spores deep into the wood, only to come back worse.

The cleaning method for siding or roof shingles is the same. Mix your product in a separate bucket then transfer it into the pump sprayer. Take the hose and moisten an area to clean starting at the highest point and work your way down. After the area is moist, not drenched, apply your shingle cleaning solution with the sprayer, before it dries, scrub the area lightly with your scrub brush, then rinse completely with the hose until clear water is running off the shingles.

The trick to the cleaning is using the right product. What you want to avoid purchasing is TSP, bleach or any product containing chlorine. These products are hazardous and will create more problems than you had. High chemical products will ruin your lawn, kill your plants, the odor will linger for weeks, and they dry out wood to the point of cracking, stain surrounding surfaces and in my experience do not clean evenly, leaving a very un-natural look to your wood shingles. Choose an environmentally safe product and you can expect better, natural results without the side effects.

Choose an environmentally safe cedar shingle cleaing product, clean your shingles periodically and they will last and look new for a long time to come.

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