How to Remove Water Stains from Wood Siding

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How to Remove Water Stains from Wood Siding


August 12, 2019


One of the reasons why people love wood siding is for the pleasing aesthetic and durability it offers their home. However, wood siding also does need to be maintained carefully, and if your maintenance routine becomes lax, you can easily find your siding covered in water stains.

Luckily, there are several things you can do to remove those water stains from your wood siding and restore its appearance.

Wash Stains Away

Sometimes, water stains are caused simply by dirt that has gotten stuck to your siding. In cases like these, dig about a foot-deep hole in the soil next to your siding, use a hose with a spray nozzle to wash off the dirt, and see if the water stains disappear. If they do, continue doing this on other light stains around the house.

Bleach Stains Away

For slightly darker stains, you may be able to lightly bleach them away. Make a solution that is half bleach and half water, and lightly apply it to the water stains — but do not saturate or soak the area. Once the bleach is dry, if the stain hasn’t fully disappeared, consider making the solution 75% bleach.

Note that bleaching the area may make for lighter spots, so practice this method with caution, especially on darker-colored woods.

Sand Stains Away

If you don’t think the water stain has gone too deep into your wood siding, consider lightly sanding it away. For the sake of the wood’s integrity, it’s often better to use sandpaper than an electric sander and to only sand down a thin layer of the wood to remove the stain.

If you’re unable to remove the stains on your own, it is often best to consult professional siders as to what your other options are to remove the stains and restore your wood siding’s appearance. The experts at JM Roofing and Siding are here for all your home siding needs. Give us a call for your free estimate.