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Well, prevention is the best option. If you live in a climate where mold thrives, or otherwise have to deal with high humidity often, investing in non-porous paints and treatments can really help deter fungus from growing on your vinyl fence.
If you are in an area where mold is not a factor, however, there are still ways to help protect the fence against it.
If you’ve already got mold on your vinyl fence, then sealing it will be necessary. You can use household items like bleach or vinegar mixed with water for this purpose. Just make sure to test the mixture before applying it to your vinyl fences!
Our Pick
Wet & Forget Moss, Mold Removal
Wet & Forget Concentrate Outdoor Cleaner is a unique solution for removing green and black stains caused by moss, mold, mildew, and algae. It can be applied on multiple surfaces including driveways, patios, roofs, sidings, decks, vinyl, wood, concrete, canvas, aluminum, and upholstery.
What Causes Molding?
Molding is caused by high humidity and moisture seeping into the vinyl. If you’re in a climate where it’s constantly humid and moist, or if you don’t take proper care of your fence (i.e., allowing water to sit on it), then molding could happen anytime.
There are other reasons as well that could cause the vinyl to mold, such as improper installation. It can be caused by a clean fence that was not properly prepared for painting or sealing.
How to Prevent Mold on Vinyl Fences?
Mold is not just an annoying problem that can damage your prized possessions, it could also cause serious health problems. It is time to prevent mold on the vinyl fence and enjoy a clean room without worrying about the fungi creeping in or other insects.
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Step 1: Clean up pretty regularly
Always try cleaning up the area around you and be sure that all dirt build-up or other materials that tend to pile up are removed from it.
Cleaning your vinyl fence every week should be enough for preventing molds and maintaining a healthy home without other unwanted guests like pests, ants, etc.
If you find any water buildup around the ventilation opening (like windows) replace the dirty filter there as soon as possible; always use protective clothing and a mask when you do this work as it may be dangerous to your health otherwise.
Step 2: Be sure that there is no moisture on the vinyl fence at once
If you find a leak or other water source forming a stain on your vinyl fence, then remove the affected area from the wall and clean up all moisture from it to prevent mold from growing.
If there is no way of removing this stained area from the fence, try covering it with plastic sheets for now; make sure to change these sheets regularly as they can become moldy themselves if left uncleaned for too long.
In case there is no direct source of moisture but you have excessive humidity in the room, try opening doors and windows so that excess moisture escapes quickly to keep the air dry.
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Step 3: Try covering damaged areas with plastic sheets
If you have a leak or some other water source that is creating stains on your vinyl fence, then the best way to prevent mold from getting onto its walls is by trying to remove these affected areas.
If there is no available solution for this problem at once, try covering the affected area(s) with plastic sheets; make sure to change them regularly as leaving them uncleaned can attract mold and even insects after time.
Step 4: Use a protective coating
To prevent mold on vinyl fences, try covering the damaged areas with specialized protecting agents. This way you will be able to seal off these spots and keep them unaffected by water or other sources of decay.
Be sure that the coating is non-toxic so don’t worry about your health while using it; also make sure to try this method on a spot you don’t see as it may affect the color of your fence.
Of course, if you have an already grown mold problem on your vinyl fence, make sure to try removing it as soon as possible with a soft brush or a product that can be used for this purpose.
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In cases of very stubborn growths, you may need to use stronger solutions but for now, go easy on them and avoid causing any damages to the wall coverings themselves.
How to Remove Mold from White Vinyl Fencing?
fence advise editor’s choice
Wet & Forget Moss Mold Removal
Mold removal can be an incredibly difficult process. It’s best to get professional help, but if you’re really dedicated to removing your moldy fence yourself, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Here are the steps I recommend:
1) Scrub the moldy area with bleach or vinegar and water. Make sure you wear gloves and do this outside or in a well-ventilated space.
2) Take off any sealant layers.
3) Apply your cleaning solution generously over the area where the mold is (make sure not to use either water or a wet sponge on this area).
4) Let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing it off with clean water.
5) After that, go ahead and reapply a new sealant. Make sure to let the fence completely dry before you do this!
6) After the sealant has dried, you can then go ahead and paint your fence.
But in all seriousness, unless you have experience with removing mold from vinyl fences, I would really recommend getting an expert to take care of your moldy fence.
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How to Remove Green Mold from Vinyl Fence?
To remove green mold from a vinyl fence, you must first determine why it is growing there. The type of mold that grows on fences is usually green and fuzzy.
It may not be macroscopic enough to see with the naked eye but it will appear as a patch of discoloration on the surface of the material which will spread if left untreated.
Green mold is typically caused by moisture buildup on the fence. This regularly occurs during the spring months when rain tends to fall regularly.
It can also be caused by condensation build-up which happens when there is a significant temperature difference between the inside and outside of your house.
For example, your vinyl fence may have some green mold if you find that your windows are often foggy.
The first step to prevent future mold growth is to properly clean and dry your vinyl fence. Be sure to scrub the surface thoroughly with a soft bristle brush and warm water mixed with soap.
Avoid using products that contain bleach as they may damage the material of your fence. After you have cleaned it, be sure that it is completely dry before returning it.
After you have cleaned the fence, if you see any remaining green mold, there are several ways to remove it.
You can use a soft bristle brush with rubbing alcohol applied to it or soak blotting paper in bleach and apply that to the moldy area.
Be sure not to allow the bleach or rubbing alcohol to sit for too long as it may damage the vinyl. Rinse the area with water when you are done.
Treat mold immediately so that it does not continue to spread and harden into a permanent stain on your fence. Once mold growth has occurred, removal is difficult and time-consuming.
Read More
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What can I Spray-on Vinyl Siding to Prevent Mold?
Our Recommended Spray
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RMR Brands Complete Mold Killer
Get rid of harmful mold and mildew in an instant with our Ultimate Mold Prevention Kit! Our kit includes two fast-acting formulas, RMR-86 and RMR-141, that kill mold and mildew on contact and remove stubborn stains with ease.
Make a homemade mold spray for vinyl siding.
Mix a gallon of water with half a cup of salt and add a quarter cup of household bleach into the mix. Spray onto a vinyl siding in an even coat, being sure to have reached all areas.
Allow the solution to dry before allowing children or animals near it. If you have metal gutters or downspouts, spray them as well to prevent mold from growing on those surfaces.
Best White Vinyl Fence Cleaner.
Our Pick
Wet & Forget Moss, Mold Removal
Wet & Forget Concentrate Outdoor Cleaner is a unique solution for removing green and black stains caused by moss, mold, mildew, and algae. It can be applied on multiple surfaces including driveways, patios, roofs, sidings, decks, vinyl, wood, concrete, canvas, aluminum, and upholstery.
You can make yourself a DIY white vinyl fence cleaner that is just as effective as the expensive store-bought kind.
All you need to do is mix baking soda and water together in a bucket until it forms a paste. Then take a scrub brush and scrub the paste all over your white vinyl fencing.
If there are any bad spots or stains, let them sit for about 10 minutes. Then scrub them with the same brush (a new one, though) and it should scrub right off.
You can also make some more paste while you wait if you like. It is very simple to clean up, all you need to do is rinse the fence off with water when you are done cleaning it!
Also, you can make a vinegar solution to clean your white vinyl fence with. To do this you need a bucket, water, and some distilled vinegar.
Fill the bucket about halfway with water and then add some distilled vinegar to it. Then scrub the fencing just as you did with the baking soda solution. This will get rid of many types of stains that might be on your fencing too.
We also recommend using Wet & Forget Moss. This works really well at cleaning your vinyl and it is easy to use too.
This works with pressure washer equipment and it is a great time saver too. However, you should try the home remedies first just to see if they work before you go and buy any commercial products.
Conclusion
So, these are the effective ways you prevent mold on vinyl fences. If you see any mold it is important to be sure that you remove it as soon as possible. The longer that mold remains on your fence the more likely it will become a stain which makes it even harder to remove. Be sure to clean and dry your vinyl regularly and replace any damaged sections of fencing as soon as possible.
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