preparing your house for professional cleaners

If you're planning to paint your house soon, you might be dreading the cleaning steps that have to come first. The new paint sticks better and lasts longer if you roll it over a clean, smooth surface. This requires washing away dirt, stains, and mildew along with scraping loose and bubbling paint. Prepping your house for the new paint can take much longer than the painting itself. An efficient and effective way to get your house clean is to have it power washed. Here are some things to know about power washing your house.

Power Washing Is More Thorough Than Hand Scrubbing

Cleaning solutions can be applied with a power washer and then rinsed off more thoroughly. Power washing gets rid of all residue on the siding that's easy to leave behind when you wash your house with a garden hose. Plus, power washing has a long reach, so you can be sure your entire house is clean from top to bottom and ready for new paint.

Schedule The Work So Your House Has Time To Dry

If you have a specific time you plan to paint, such as a long holiday weekend, be sure to schedule the power washing for several days in advance. This allows your home to have plenty of time to dry out and be ready to paint. However, don't schedule power washing too far in advance or dirt and pollution may start accumulating again.

Ask If You Need To Do Any Prep Work

When you talk to the power washing company to schedule the job, ask if you need to do any prep work to get the best results. For instance, you may want to use mildew killer if necessary unless the power washing company will apply it. The power washer will remove mildew stains, but the mildew may grow back unless the area is treated with a cleaner that kills mildew, mold, and algae.

Another thing to discuss with the company is if you need to do any paint scraping first. Scraping paint should be done before power washing so the dust and paint flakes can be washed away. A power washer is capable of removing old paint, so you may not need to do any scraping.

You may also need to protect plants before power washing. Wet the plants around your house to protect them from cleaning solutions, and then cover the plants with a tarp to protect them from the cleaning products and strong water spray. You may also need to move lawn furniture away from your house and trim back heavy growth so the power washing crew has plenty of room to work.

To learn more about house power washing, contact a company like Inman Pro Wash.