Care and Maintenance

Ply Gem Fence and Railing has been engineered to be low maintenance and easy to care for, so you’ll never need to paint, stain or refinish your Ply Gem Fence and Railing products. But, like anything else exposed to the elements, your fence or railing will get dirty. In most cases you can simply spray the dirt off with your garden hose. For more stubborn dirt or stain removal, follow these simple instructions:

Stubborn Dirt

1. Use an ordinary, long-handled car washing brush with soft bristles that attaches to a garden hose. This will let you wash your fence or railing just like you wash your car.
2. If the dirt is difficult to remove, such as soot found in industrial areas, wash the fence with a solution made up of the following:
   • 1/3 cup powder detergent (e.g. Tide, Fab, or equivalent powder detergent)*
   • 2/3 cup household cleaner (e.g. Soilax, Spic & Span or equivalent)*
   • 1 gallon of water
3. If mildew is a problem in your area, use the above solution but substitute 1 quart of liquid laundry bleach for 1 quart of water.
4. When washing your fence or railing, prevent streaking by starting at the bottom and working up to the top.
5. If stubborn stains exist, follow the precautionary labeling instructions on the cleaning agent container. Protect shrubs from direct contact with cleaning agents.

*Reference to proprietary names is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to suggest that there are not equally effective competitive products.

Stain Removal

Light oils and greases, heavy grease, caulking compounds, wax, crayon, asphalt, tars, etc.:

1. Cleaning Agents: Mineral spirits, VMP naptha, auto tar remover.
2. Preparation: Remove excess with plastic or wood scraper.
3. Special cleaning procedures: Use soft cloth to apply mineral spirits. Maintain light pressure to avoid polishing stained area. After removing stain, rinse area thoroughly with water.

Inks (marking), nail polish, paint, lipstick, gum:

1. Cleaning agents: Cleaning fluid (Trichloroethylene)
2. Preparation: Remove excess with plastic or wood scraper. Chill gum to remove excess.
3. Special cleaning procedures: Use soft cloth to apply cleaning fluid. Maintain light pressure to avoid polishing stained area. After removing stain, rinse area thoroughly with water.

Rust stains:

1. Cleaning agents: Oxalic acid, auto radiator cleaner, Bright bowl (Bayse Janitor Supply Co., Eustis, FL), Riddo-Rust
2. Preparation: Make solution of 1 tablespoon of oxalic acid crystals to 1 cup warm water.
3. Special cleaning procedures: Apply oxalic acid solution with soft bristle brush. Wipe with damp cloth and then flush with rust free water (use rubber gloves and eye protection).

Stubborn Stains:

1. Cleaning agents: Xylene, Lacquer Thinner
2. Preparation: Try procedures 1, 2 or 3. If they don’t remove the stains, then use this procedure.
3. Dampen small section of cloth with xylene. Rub vigorously on the affected area. Rinse area thoroughly with clean water.