(StatePoint) The type of siding you have on your home can affect how you spend your weekends, as some options require more maintenance and upkeep than others.

“While stucco, wood siding, fiber cement siding and engineered wood all require regular painting and caulking to look their best, today’s vinyl siding needs only periodic cleaning with mild soap and water from a garden hose to achieve the same result,” says Kevin Mickle, product manager at ProVia, a manufacturer of siding and other exterior building products.

For maximum curb appeal, the experts at ProVia are offering the following tips for maintaining and selecting vinyl siding.

• • To clean vinyl siding, use a soft cloth or ordinary long-handled, soft bristle brush. For textured surfaces, use only a soft bristle brush to keep the grooves in the texture stain-free. For best results, start at the bottom of the house and work your way up, taking care to rinse the cleaning solution completely before it dries. During this process, cover any brick facing so it’s not affected by the runoff. To remove mold and mildew, use a solution of 30 percent vinegar and 70 percent water.
• • Before using a power washer, read the washer’s instructions carefully, as well as the recommendations of the siding manufacturer. Some manufacturers advise against the use of pressure washers on their products or have limitations on the amount of pressure and the cleaners that can be used. If you do choose to use a power washer, hold it at eye level to keep water on top of the siding where it can clean most effectively.
• • Ensure your cleaner of choice won’t harm your siding. Spot check a small area first. Never use cleaners containing organic solvents, undiluted chlorine bleach, liquid grease remover, nail polish remover or furniture polish.
• • When doing any home maintenance project involving stains, sealants and wet concrete, or when spraying the lawn with insecticides or herbicides, cover vinyl siding to protect its color.
• • Keeping siding away from significant heat sources — do your barbecuing many paces away from the house and keep readily ignitable materials such as dry leaves, mulch and trash away from the structure.
• • Whether you’re building a home or upgrading your current exterior cladding, make an informed selection. Look for the VSI Product Certification Program label. This means the vinyl siding has gone through a third-party inspection process and was independently verified to meet or exceed the industry standard for quality. One brand meeting these rigorous standards is ProVia, which specializes in elegance and endurance and offers three types of professional-class vinyl siding to choose from: insulated, traditional and decorative. All of their cladding is created with a Super Polymer Formulation for enhanced durability. To learn more, visit provia.com/siding.

Want to take your weekends back? By selecting vinyl siding for your home, you can get all the charm and curb appeal that traditional materials offer with a simpler maintenance routine.