When a vinyl fence is new, it looks perfect and pristine. After a year or two, however, it will usually begin to attract some dirt and possible even some algae. You can get your vinyl fence back to its original beauty—as long as you're willing to take the time to clean it properly. Here's how to tackle this task.

Step 1: Pre-spray the fence.

Hook up your garden hose, and give the fence a light spray from top to bottom. This will help moisten any dirt, so it is easier to scrub away. Performing just this step every few months will prevent you from having to work so hard when you do give the fence a deep clean – you'll prevent too much dirt from building up.

Step 2: Give it a light scrub with dish soap and bleach.

After you've sprayed the fence, prepare a bucket of water by adding a generous squeeze of dish soap and a few capfuls of bleach. The bleach will help kill any mold or algae on the fence (or keep it from developing), and the dish soap will help work through any stains that might be greasy in nature.

Apply the mixture to the fence using a scrubby sponge. Make sure you treat the entire fence—even the areas that look clean—so the bleach removes any mold spores that are still too small to see. Scrub vigorously when you reach any dirt, since your vinyl is durable enough to withstand heavy scrubbing. Give the fence a good rinse when you're scrubbed the whole thing.

Step 3: Remove lingering stains with scouring powder.

If there are no lingering stains on your fence, you're finished. However, if there are stains remaining, you'll want to complete this step. Apply some scouring powder to a rag or sponge, and use it to scrub away the stains. A scouring powder that contains bleach will work best. You might want to apply it, wait a minute, and then scrub some more if you're dealing with really tough stains.

Step 4: Rinse, and admire your work.

Rinse away the scouring powder. Make sure you start at the top of the fence and work your way down to avoid leaving a soapy or dusty-looking residue. step back, and take a look at your gleaming vinyl fence. You might be dirty and your arm might be tired from scrubbing, but it will be worth the effort. For more information, contact a local fence company like Crown Fence Co.