Alright, so I finally got around to pressure washing the house this weekend. Been putting it off for way too long, you know how it is. The siding was looking pretty grimy, especially on the north side where the sun don't hit much. Mold and mildew city, basically.

First things first, I had to drag out the pressure washer. It's one of those electric ones, not super powerful, but it gets the job done for basic stuff. I think it's like 2000 PSI or something. Anyway, I filled up the soap tank – that's key, right? You can't just blast away with water and expect it to do much.

I used a soap specifically made for pressure washing houses. I grabbed it from the local hardware store. It’s nothing fancy, just a big jug that says "House Wash" on it. I think it was something like twenty bucks. You gotta dilute it, though. I mixed it according to the instructions on the bottle. Usually it's like one part soap to five or ten parts water, depends on how dirty things are. I went with a stronger mix this time, since the house was looking extra rough.

Next up, I attached the soap nozzle to the pressure washer wand. This is the one that shoots out a lower-pressure stream, so the soap actually sticks to the siding instead of just blasting off. I started at the bottom of the house and worked my way up. Important to go from the bottom to the top, because if you go top to bottom, the dirty water runs down over the clean part. Makes sense, right?

I sprayed the whole house down with the soapy water. Let it sit for like five or ten minutes. You gotta give the soap time to do its thing, break down the grime and mold. Don't let it dry, though. That's a no-no. If it starts to dry, just spray it down again with more soapy water.

After letting it soak, I switched back to the regular nozzle, the one with a bit more oomph. I used a wider angle nozzle, like a 40-degree, so I wouldn't damage the siding. Held the wand about a foot away from the house and started rinsing from the top down. This is where you see all the dirt and grime just washing away. So satisfying!

Important tip: Be careful around windows and doors. You don't want to force water under the seals and get it inside the house. Also, be careful around any delicate plants. The pressure can damage them. I covered my bushes with some plastic sheeting just to be safe.

I went over the whole house twice, just to make sure I got everything. Paid extra attention to those really dirty spots, like around the gutters and under the eaves.

When I was done, the house looked like a million bucks! Okay, maybe not a million, but definitely a whole lot cleaner. The siding was bright and fresh, and the mold and mildew were gone. It really made a difference.

Clean up was easy. Just rinsed out the soap tank and put everything away. All in all, it took me about four hours, including setup and cleanup. Worth it, though. Now I can finally say I've crossed it off the list! And the house looks amazing!

• Dragged out the pressure washer
• Filled the soap tank with house wash soap
• Attached the soap nozzle
• Sprayed the house from bottom to top
• Let the soap sit for 5-10 minutes
• Switched to the regular nozzle
• Rinsed the house from top to bottom
• Repeated the rinsing process
• Cleaned up and put everything away

Things I learned

Next time, I'm gonna invest in a longer wand. Reaching those high spots was a pain. And maybe a more powerful pressure washer, too. Just to make the job go a little faster. But overall, I'm happy with how it turned out. Now I just gotta remember to do it again next year!