How To Clean A Composite Or Wood Deck

How To Clean Composite Decking

Choosing the correct cleaner can literally make or break your deck. When buying a cleaning product, always check the label and never use anything labeled as a Chlorine Bleach based “deck cleaner”. If the active ingredients include Sodium Hypochlorite, it contains Bleach. Chlorine bleach is very corrosive and will eat into any material it’s applied to. Eventually, it will lead to discoloration of your deck, damage the surface , and can exacerbate any mold/mildew issues that may occur.

Decking & Railing Duos

A deck cleaner made specifically for composite lumber may contain surfactants, ingredients that leave a thin protective layer on the surface to help repel staining. Composite deck cleaners are typically sprayed on, brushed with a soft deck brush, and then rinsed off with a garden hose. The deck cleaner will come with specific instructions for use and you should follow these carefully. The cleaner has to sit on the composite deck for a prescribed length of time and then washed off with a pressure washer.

• The cleaning process will go best if you select the right cleaner to begin with.
• To remove mold from older Trex products, the company recommends using a deck wash that includes detergent and sodium hypochlorite, commonly known as bleach.
• I hate bleach because it kills plants and vegetation and it’s terrible to work with.
• It specifically recommends Olympic Premium Deck Cleaner ($9.98 per gallon at Home Depot) and Expert Chemical’s Composite Deck Cleaner & Enhancer ($19.98 a gallon at expertchemicalinc.com).
• Instead, I recommend using DEFY Composite Deck Cleaner.

The Composite Deck Cleaning Process

Painted wood decks, often coordinated to match the trim on a home, come with special cleaning issues. Harsh cleaners can damage the painted surface, weakening it and leading to cracking and peeling. A gentle all-purpose deck cleaner that does not contain ammonia is usually the best choice for a painted wood deck. The label should specify the cleaner is safe for painted surfaces.

How To Extend The Life Of Your Deck

For this reason, you will work on small sections of the deck rather than try to do the whole lot at once. Using less than 800psi wash the cleaner off along the grain of the deck.

Liquid dish soap (ammonia-free) is safe for use on cleaning your natural wood deck when mixed with a little warm water. Simply mix 1 gallon of water, 2 tablespoons of ammonia-free dish soap (such as Murphy’s), 1 pint of rubbing alcohol, and 1 quart of oxygen bleach.

They’re available pre-mixed or in concentrated crystal or liquid form . The cleaners are typically applied to the decking with a sprayer or deck brush, spread evenly with a mop, and then rinsed off with a garden hose. In some cases, additional scrubbing with a deck brush may be required to remove stubborn stains.

Keep the spray moving and don’t spray from too close to the deck. Trex Decks can last a lifetime and will maintain their quality but sometimes they show their age. One of the best ways to care for your deck is to clean it regularly - don’t let it get past the point of no return. Another way of maintaining a clean composite deck is after the cleaning is complete to apply a water sealer made specifically for composite decking. Some essential tips to remember with composite decks is never to use shovels or any sharp objects to remove snow and ice from the deck in the winter. Your deck design and building specialist is supremely knowledgeable about the product that they employ. Consequently, they can suggest the best snow melt products to use that will be safe for the decking materials.