How to Clean Fibre Cement Cladding

Dirt, Dust, and Chalk Debris

If you need to clean off chalk, dirt, or dust debris off the surface of your fibre cement cladding, the only type of liquid you need is water. In addition to the water, you will need a soft, clean cloth, a soft paintbrush, and a hose.

First, take the soft paintbrush and run it across the surface of the fibre cement cladding. This will help loosen the debris that you want to get off the surface as well as debris that you might not be able to see. You will then spray the surface with the garden hose. Take the soft cloth and wipe down any spots that you still see on the surface.

If the surface is really dirty, you might want to have multiple cloths to rotate through because you don’t want to use a dirty rag on a clean surface. Rinse with the hose one more time and you are done.

Grease, Oil, and Other Natural Debris

There might be some instances where you get harder-to-clean materials on your fibre cement cladding. These substances will most commonly include oil and grease. While it will take more than just water, you can still clean off these harder materials with dish soap and water.

You never want to use a cleaner that can hurt the surface of the fibre cement, such as an abrasive cleaner. You need a garden hose and a clean, soft cloth. Get the cloth wet with the soap and water mixture. When you’ve covered the surface enough, spray it with water. The substance will then be gone.
Mould and Mildew

It is almost impossible to avoid mould and mildew growth on your fibre cement cladding. This will happen much easier if you live in an area that has high humidity and your house sits in shade. You will need some harder cleaners for mildew and mould, but still stay away from abrasive cleaners.

You can make a quick trip to a hardware store and pick up a non-damaging fibre cement cleaner. Mix the cleaner with some water according to the instructions and avoid adding too much cleaner. This can damage your siding even more, which we want to avoid.

Wear a mask and gloves while you clean to prevent any fumes from entering your respiratory system or liquid getting on your hands. You should also wear goggles to protect your eyes. Scrub the area with a clean cloth and the cleaner solution on any part of the cladding that you find mould on. When you are finished, rinse with clean water.