Oxidation is a normal part of aging for most materials, but it can cause problems in vinyl siding. Learn how to prevent oxidation and keep your home looking great for years to come.
Prevent oxidation by keeping your vinyl siding clean and protected. To help prevent oxidation, make sure your vinyl siding stays clean. Only use cleaners with ZERO bleach since bleach can accelerate oxidation. Use a cleaner that is zero bleach, zero VOC, and designed to remove oxidation.
We recommend Renu Cleaner Concentrate which meets all these criteria. You should also apply a protective coating to protect against future oxidation. Vinyl Renu will not only protect from future oxidation but will restore color to faded and oxidized vinyl siding. Cleaning and protecting are critical to maintaining the color, luster, and beauty of your vinyl siding. The good news is that it is inexpensive and fairly easy to do.
Vinyl siding has been around since the 1950s, and it’s still one of the best ways to add curb appeal to your home. However, if you live in a humid or cold, climate, you might notice some signs of oxidation on your vinyl siding after a few years. The problem is that oxidation causes the surface of the siding to become dull and lose its shine. If you want to avoid this issue, here are three things you should know about preventing oxidation on vinyl siding.
First, as mentioned above, use a vinyl siding cleaner (often called a house wash) that contains no bleach and no VOCs. In addition, ensure it is advertised to remove existing oxidation. Our favorite is Renu Cleaner Concentrate. We are admittedly a bit biased since we invented it and manufacture it, but we really have not come across anything that performs as better.
Second, apply a protective coating on your siding. It's like putting on suntan lotion before heading to the beach. The coating should be applied after the siding has been well cleaned. Our suggestions on how to choose the proper vinyl siding restorer and protectant are simple. Use only a water-based coating that contains a significant amount of UV inhibitors/blockers. The manufacturer will confirm if their product has UV inhibitors/blockers or not. Many do not. You also want one that will restore color and luster to oxidized siding returning it to its original beauty. Finally, it should be warranted to last for 10 years or more. There is no point in doing the work and having to redo it after a few years. Our favorite is Vinyl Renu. It meets all those requirements. And again, we are a bit biased since we invented it 20+ years ago and have seen it restore millions of square feet of siding.
Finally, 
always keep your siding clean. Once the first two items have been completed, you simply have to take a diluted solution of your leftover Renu Cleaner concentrate, put it in a garden pump sprayer, spray it on your siding and rinse it off. We recommend doing this twice a year if you are in a humid climate or have lots of pollen. Once a year is fine if you live in a dry climate.
always keep your siding clean. Once the first two items have been completed, you simply have to take a diluted solution of your leftover Renu Cleaner concentrate, put it in a garden pump sprayer, spray it on your siding and rinse it off. We recommend doing this twice a year if you are in a humid climate or have lots of pollen. Once a year is fine if you live in a dry climate.Following these steps will keep oxidation on your vinyl siding from developing and keep your home looking great.
Now that you know how to keep your siding looking great and protected from oxidation, think about other surfaces around your home.
Oxidation can impact nearly all outdoor surfaces including painted metal, painted wood and all plastics.
Here are some examples of following the above process on several exterior surfaces.
