First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot up the spill with a dry white cloth or paper towels; don't rub.
- Sponge or rinse promptly in cool water.
- Test any remover on a hidden area first.
- Keep the wet spot from drying while you gather your supplies.
Beer is a tannin-type stain, and on wood siding the tannin can bleed into the grain and leave a brownish mark. A fresh spill comes off more easily than one that has dried, and the siding type decides how hard you can push. Work out what your siding is made of before you choose a cleaner.
Before you try an oxygen bleach powder on siding, test a small hidden spot so you know how the wood takes it. Beer stains on pool table felt need a separate approach, so don't carry siding methods over to the felt. If the brown mark is still there after gentle washing, stop and call a pro rather than scrubbing harder.
Before you start
What siding, roof & exterior can take
Safe to use2
- Water
- Oxygen bleach
Use with care5
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
10 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Dry white cloth or paper towelsBlots up the beer without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Cool water and a spongeFor the first rinse. (opens Amazon)
- Garden hoseFor rinsing before and after each cleaning step.
- Mild dish detergentFor the wash on every siding type. (opens Amazon)
- Soft brush or clothScrubs siding without damaging the surface. (opens Amazon)
- Plastic drop clothProtects nearby plants from overspray. (opens Amazon)
- Oxygen-bleach deck cleanerFor mildew on bare wood. (opens Amazon)
- Mildew-specific cleanerFor mildew on fiber cement.
- Oxalic-acid wood brightenerFor reddish-brown tannin streaks on wood. (opens Amazon)
- Stiff synthetic-bristle brushScrubs bare wood along the grain. (opens Amazon)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Blot and sponge the beer
Blot the spill with a dry white cloth or paper towels, pressing rather than rubbing. Then sponge the area with cool water and rinse it promptly.
Tip. Work from the edges toward the center so the beer doesn't spread.
Step 2 of 6
Test your cleaner first
Pick an inconspicuous spot on the siding and try any cleaner there before you treat the stain. Test any pressure washer setting in the same spot.
Step 3 of 6
Wash with mild dish detergent
Rinse the area with a garden hose first, then scrub with mild dish detergent in water and a soft brush. On fiber cement, use a soft brush or cloth.
Careful. Bar soap and soap flakes set tannin stains, so use only mild dish detergent.
Step 4 of 6About 15 minutes
Treat mildew on bare wood
If dark spots remain on bare wood, cover nearby plants with a plastic drop cloth and spray them with water to dilute overspray. Apply the oxygen-bleach deck cleaner in sections, keep each section wet for about 15 minutes, then scrub along the grain. On fiber cement, use a mildew-specific cleaner and a soft cloth instead.
Tip. Mist the section with a hose if it starts to dry before the 15 minutes are up.
Careful. The oxygen cleaner is for bare wood only and must stay off painted surfaces.
Step 5 of 6
Rinse everything away
Rinse the whole area thoroughly with a garden hose, moving from the top down. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear across each section.
Careful. Never let cleaner or soap dry on the surface.
Step 6 of 6
Brighten reddish-brown wood streaks
If reddish-brown streaks remain on wood after the rinse, apply an oxalic-acid wood brightener per its label. It neutralizes oxygen cleaners, so it only goes on once they're fully rinsed off. Rinse it off again afterward.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for beer on siding, roof & exterior
Stick to the mild dish detergent steps for bare wood. Look for a mildew-specific cleaner for fiber cement, and for tannin streaks on wood, pick an oxalic-acid wood brightener.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on siding, roof & exterior, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain is gone when the spot looks the same color as the siding around it, and no brown or dark tint shows once it has fully dried. On wood, a damp spot can look lighter than it will once dry, so check it after drying. If dark spots come back, they're likely mildew and need the oxygen cleaner treatment again.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your siding, roof & exterior
Wood siding
Bare wood gets the full sequence: the mild dish detergent wash, then the oxygen cleaner for dark mildew spots, kept wet about 15 minutes and scrubbed along the grain. If the spots are only beer and not mildew, the detergent wash and a thorough rinse may be all you need.
Reddish-brown streaks can be treated with the oxalic-acid wood brightener, but only after the oxygen cleaner has been rinsed off, since the brightener neutralizes it. Rinse again afterward and let the wood dry before you judge the result.
Fiber cement siding
Fiber cement takes the mild dish detergent wash, but with a soft brush or cloth rather than anything stiff. Mildew on it needs a mildew-specific cleaner and a soft cloth, and the hose rinse afterward matters as much as the scrub.
Never use bleach or acid on fiber cement, and skip hard metal brushes and abrasive sponges too, since they can damage the surface and its finish. Skip the tannin brightener here entirely.
Vinyl siding
Vinyl wants the mild dish detergent and a soft brush, then a thorough hose rinse. Leave out organic-solvent cleaners, grease removers, nail polish remover and furniture polish, since they can damage the surface.
Keep undiluted chlorine bleach away from vinyl too. If the spot remains, repeat the wash and rinse rather than reaching for a stronger product.
Reddish-brown streaks on wood
Tannin from beer can bleed into wood and leave reddish-brown streaks that the wash won't remove. The oxalic-acid wood brightener, used per its label, is the treatment for these marks.
Brighten only after the oxygen cleaner step is rinsed off, because the brightener neutralizes oxygen cleaners. Rinse again afterward and check the wood once it has dried.
Siding you can't identify
If you don't know what your siding is made of, don't guess, because the wrong product can damage it. Start with a cool water rinse and the mild dish detergent wash with a soft brush, and use nothing stronger until you know the material.
Skip the oxygen cleaner, acid, bleach and pressure washer until you've identified it. A spot test in a hidden area is the safe way to see how the siding responds.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Beer that has dried on siding has soaked into the surface, so the first wash often only lightens it. That's normal, and it doesn't mean the stain is permanent.
On bare wood, run the oxygen cleaner through the mildew treatment a second time, keeping it wet for about 15 minutes and scrubbing along the grain. If reddish-brown marks still show after the rinse, the oxalic-acid wood brightener is the next step, used per its label.
On fiber cement, the mildew-specific cleaner is the strongest option you should use. Some tannin marks may not lift fully on weathered siding, so it's realistic to accept a faint shadow or call a professional to look at it.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on beer on siding, roof & exterior?
Most kitchen remedies don't belong on siding, so only mild dish detergent and an oxygen cleaner for wood get used. Common remedies split into ones that help on siding and ones to skip.
Works2Helps1Skip3
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Hydrogen peroxide (3%) + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't mix bleach with ammonia
Chlorine bleach and ammonia form a toxic gas, so never combine them, and don't mix bleach with other cleaners either. If you use more than one product on the siding, rinse thoroughly between them.
Don't blast siding with a pressure washer
High pressure can damage fiber cement, and a wand aimed upward can damage vinyl. On wood, if you must use one, choose the lowest pressure that still cleans, a fan tip, and spray with the grain.
Don't scrub wood with steel wool or wire brushes
Leftover iron in steel wool or wire reacts with the wood's natural extractives and leaves dark stains. Use a stiff synthetic-bristle brush along the grain on wood instead.
When to call a professional
If the stain won't lift after these steps, or the siding looks damaged, have a professional look at it before trying anything harsher. Pressure washing is where siding is most often damaged, so if you're unsure about the pressure, let a pro handle it. If the boards are old and may be CCA-treated, don't cut or burn them, since the sawdust and smoke can carry arsenic.
Questions
Can I remove beer stains from pool table felt with these steps?
No. These steps are written for siding, and felt needs its own handling. Blot the beer up with a dry white cloth and don't rub, then ask a professional about the felt.
Does beer leave a permanent stain on siding?
It can if it sits and dries, because beer is a tannin stain and the tannin can bleed into wood. Fresh spills respond best, so blot and rinse as soon as you can. The mild dish detergent wash handles most fresh beer.
Can I use chlorine bleach on beer stains on siding?
No, chlorine bleach isn't a safe pick for beer on siding. Bleach can't go on fiber cement, and undiluted bleach can damage vinyl. The oxygen cleaner covers mildew on bare wood instead.
Why are there reddish-brown streaks after the beer dried on wood?
That's most likely tannin bleed on wood. The oxalic-acid wood brightener can treat it, but only after the oxygen cleaner has been rinsed off. Skip it entirely on fiber cement.
What should I do if I don't know what my siding is made of?
Start with a cool water rinse and the mild dish detergent wash with a soft brush. Don't use bleach or acid until you know the material, and hold off on the oxygen cleaner too. Test anything else in a hidden spot first.
Are the black spots on my siding beer or mildew?
Black spots can be mildew rather than beer. Wash the area first, and if dark spots remain on bare wood, use the mildew treatment, which is the oxygen cleaner.
Beer on other materials
Other stains on siding, roof & exterior
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.