It's a spider poop remover AND a dessert topping!

October 13, 2012 9:15 AM

Do you have any recommendations for the tough job of removing spider poop from vinyl siding?

We have a nice big porch and it's lit by a string of lights on a timer. The lights can make it popular with bugs and the bugs are popular with spiders so under the roof, spiders tend to live and feed. This inevitably seems to lead to these smeary spots under their webs. I figure it's spider poop, but I suppose it could just be spilled insect innards. Anyway it's a bothersome chore to scrub. Any suggestions for quick and easy removal? Colors seem to range from white to red to brown to black. Is this poop and why is it so hard to clean? Tips and tricks?

posted by Toekneesan to home & garden (7 answers total)

You're going to think this is crazy, but I use car washing detergent and the brush for car washing to clean the siding. I wet the house like I would the car, dunk the brush in a bucket with water and detergent (I put more detergent than when I wash the car) and then I scrub. Hose the house down, finished. My neighbors told me to stop doing that because then their houses looked dirty and their wives expected them to do the same.
posted by Yellow at 9:18 AM on October 13, 2012

I use Goo Gone, but I suspect what is really working is me, and when I say me, I mean my two teenage sons, working really hard scrubbing. Maybe try a vinegar and water solution?
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:19 AM on October 13, 2012

When we had this on my grandparents' house, it was quick work with a pressure washer and a little elbow grease to remove it.
posted by Rodrigo Lamaitre at 9:31 AM on October 13, 2012

Whatever you do, don't use a power washer. Those drive water into cracks, not only in the siding but cracks in the building itself, and the water which gets in will cause problems over time. Stick to using a garden hose with your thumb over the stream to create a spray or even using a spray nozzle would be fine. Anything with more force will be bad in the long run.
posted by hippybear at 9:32 AM on October 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

I use Charlie's Soap all purpose cleaner on my vinyl fence and it works great. Actually, I use it for almost everything - it's amazing on plastic porch furniture too! Just dilute, spray it on with a spray bottle, let it sit and do its magic, hit the tough spots with a non-abrasive scrubby sponge then rinse. Also, the customer service at Charlie's Soap is fantastic.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 9:40 AM on October 13, 2012

I use lemon/tea tree oil (about 6-7 drops in a quart spray bottle), and an old rag. I have a lot of plantings around my house that I don't want damaged, so I came up with this ...solution. Heh.
posted by PlantGoddess at 10:18 AM on October 13, 2012

Perhaps some of these suggestions for removing artillery fungus will work for you (scroll down to the bottom of the page).
posted by MonkeyToes at 11:06 AM on October 13, 2012