Community Chat

[Goldengate8361]

I have square posts / columns  on my front porch. They're off-white and look a little dirty. I'd like to clean them, but I honestly have no idea what I should use to do that....I know I must sound ridiculoulsy dumb to some of you...but do you have any suggestions? Should I just use windex and paper towels? If anybody has ideas, please kindly share them with me.

[software]

There are outdoor cleaners available.

Spray on, hose off.

[cherry]

A pressure washer

[Lucky Charm]

If you have an old sponge mop, you can reach up high and work your way down. 

I'd hit them with a hose first to wet them and then start scrubbing away with a bucket of water and liquid cleaner.  Anything from laundry detergent to floor cleaner to car wash solution. 

I keep an old mop in the garage for cleaning the siding on the north side of the house, it wants to turn green at the bottom.

[sann]

---

@cherry wrote:

A pressure washer

---

Yes absolutely the best way.

[Mimi 1883]

@Goldengate8361  No, Windex won't do the job. If you are doing the work you want to do it right, once. Get some TSP (Trisodium phosphate) from Home Depot or Lowe's. You will dilute it in a bucket of water (according to directions.) Be sure to wear gloves. It does a great job cleaning things like your columns. I use it for outside spring cleaning myself like our columns, the mailbox painted post, etc. 

[Mom2Dogs]

@Goldengate8361  We have very tall columns (think of the look of the white house)  on our front porch.....last summer we had them power washed and then painted.

[Imaoldhippie]

Are they wood, brick, vinyl or what?

[RedTop]

We have white posts and railing, and start with a bucket of hot water, Dawn and a long handled brush, then rinse each section with the pressure washer.   Sometimes my husband uses Blue Wolf cleaner in the pressure washer tank.   

[Mz iMac]

@Goldengate8361  "I know I must sound ridiculoulsy dumb to some of you"

"The only dumb questions are the ones never asked"......my HS math teacher.