How to Clean and Maintain Sprayed Cladding

How to Clean and Maintain Sprayed Cladding

One of the quiet advantages of a sprayed cladding finish is how little it asks of you afterwards. There is no annual repaint and no special routine — the coating is engineered to shed weather and hold colour on its own. A small amount of sensible care, though, keeps it looking factory-fresh for the full life of the finish and protects the guarantee.

This applies to any elevation finished through our cladding spraying service, whether metal profiled cladding or UPVC and composite boards.

Routine Cleaning

For most buildings, an occasional wash is all that is ever needed. The method is deliberately gentle:

• Rinse with clean water from the top down to remove loose dust and dirt.
• Use warm water with a little mild detergent — washing-up liquid is fine — and a soft cloth, sponge or soft brush.
• Work in sections and rinse thoroughly before the detergent dries.
• Twice a year is plenty for most sites; coastal and roadside buildings that pick up salt and traffic film may benefit from a little more often.

What to Avoid

• Abrasive pads, wire brushes or scouring powders — they dull and scratch the topcoat.
• Solvents, thinners, bleach and aggressive chemical cleaners — they can attack the coating.
• High-pressure jet washing at close range — it can force water behind panels and, at the wrong angle, lift edges. If a pressure washer is used, keep it low-pressure, at a distance, and never aimed into laps or edges.

Dealing With Marks and Stains

Bird mess, tree sap and general staining come off with the warm-water-and-mild-detergent method if dealt with reasonably promptly. For stubborn marks, a longer soak with mild detergent and a soft cloth is the right approach — not a stronger chemical. Rust staining running down from fixings or edges is a different matter: that is a sign of the substrate corroding, not a cleaning problem, and it is worth a look before it spreads.

If you do see rust re-emerging, our guide to cut edge corrosion treatment for metal cladding explains what is happening and how it is fixed.

Protecting the Warranty

Sensible cleaning and avoiding harsh chemicals or high-pressure washing keeps the finish within its guarantee terms. Our guide to cladding spraying warranties explains what a 10, 15 or 25-year guarantee covers — and the aftercare above is exactly what keeps it valid. The same gentle approach works for sprayed UPVC; see our sprayed UPVC aftercare guide for windows, doors and fascias.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you clean sprayed cladding?

Rinse with clean water, then wash with warm water and a little mild detergent using a soft cloth, sponge or soft brush, and rinse before it dries. Twice a year suits most buildings. Avoid abrasives, solvents and close-range pressure washing.

Can you pressure wash sprayed cladding?

Only with care — low pressure, at a distance, and never aimed into panel edges or laps, where water can be forced behind the cladding. A gentle hand wash is safer and is all most buildings need.

Does sprayed cladding need repainting?

No. A correctly applied sprayed system is engineered to hold colour and shed weather for the life of the finish — typically 10 to 25 years depending on the specification — with only occasional cleaning, not repainting.

What should you not use on sprayed cladding?

Avoid abrasive pads and scouring powders, solvents, thinners and bleach, and high-pressure jet washing at close range. These can scratch, dull or damage the coating and may affect the warranty.