With the price of lumber on the ascent, it'south more of import than ever to make clean your deck properly and protect it from stains.

Patio table with an umbrella sits on a clean wood deck attached to a suburban home.

Why You Should Clean Your Deck

If left uncared for, a deck volition develop permanent stains, splinters, and even mold and mildew. That'south because wood, being a porous substance, expands and contracts as temperatures vary. And that expansion lets dirt and grime work their fashion deep into the wood over time.

That grime can also crusade your wood deck to warp and rot more quickly. Rotting decks are dangerous, as well. Fortunately, with regular cleaning, you'll know if your deck is starting to take problems.

How To Clean Your Woods Deck

Set bated a sunny afternoon to give your dwelling'due south wood deck a thorough cleaning with or without a powerwasher.

Equipment and Materials You lot'll Need:

  • A broom
  • Tarps to cover items below the deck
  • Bucket
  • Stiff scrub brush
  • Garden hose
  • Oxygenated bleach (non-cholorine bleach)
  • Ability washer (optional)

Inspect and Sweep

1. Remove everything from the deck. This includes chairs, planters, grills, toys, etc. If you tin't remove information technology all, you'll have to work in ii parts, moving things to one side of the deck while y'all work on the other.

2. Inspect the structure. Take hold of your broom and clean the exterior walls of the business firm where the deck attaches to it. Inspect the flashing and ledger where your deck is connected to your habitation. If you notice screws that have worked loose, supervene upon them with new decking screws. If you encounter signs of rot, a licensed contractor may be able to replace only the damaged portion.

three. Sweep. Utilize the broom on your deck's railing outset and remove any cobwebs or other droppings. Then sweep the acme of the deck. If information technology's a 2nd-floor deck and you tin can get below it, get ahead and make clean the underside to eliminate debris that will collect moisture.

Treat Stains on Your Deck

ane. Spread tarps. Although the deck-washing solution yous're going to employ is safe for plants, you may not want information technology to go on other things most your deck like your BBQ grill or outdoor toys. Protect them with tarps if you like.

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2. Make this DIY deck-cleaning solution. In the saucepan, stir 1 cup of oxygenated bleach into ii gallons of hot h2o until fully dissolved. Working in sections, spread the cleaner on your deck and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. You may see it bubble a flake every bit it tackles the stains. Use the scrub castor to scour the surface, so rinse. Echo this on the rails, stairs, etc.

3. Rinse again. Once you've finished scrubbing everything, rinse your deck from height to bottom, including the railings, surface, and stairs. Also, rinse any tarps y'all used to comprehend nearby items and then they don't dry out with a layer of grime on them.

4. Let it dry out. Don't put annihilation back on your deck until it is completely dry. Clammy wood is fragile, so moving heavy furniture or grills tin can gouge your wood. Too, putting things like outdoor rugs or furniture on wet woods volition cause mold.

How to Ability Wash Your Deck

Programme to follow these steps to powerwash your deck when there'south no pelting or freezing temperatures in the forecast for at least a total calendar week. Pressure washing sends water deeper into your deck's surfaces than a hose does, so the forest will accept longer to dry.

1. Clear and sweep it start. Before ability washing, perform the steps above to audit and clean your deck.

ii. Lower pressure is meliorate. A ability washer can make a weathered deck look like new every bit it blasts away grime and discoloration. Too intense of pressure level tin damage your deck, though, so keep the setting under 1500 pounds per foursquare inch.

3. Constant, overlapping strokes. Fifty-fifty a 1500 lbs/psi setting tin harm soft or composite wood if you're non conscientious. Don't aim the power washer at any ane spot for long. Utilize overlapping long, sweeping strokes starting where the deck meets your home and working your way outward. \

4. Keep proper distance. Keep the pressure washer's nozzle at to the lowest degree iii feet from the deck surface and work in the direction of the wood grain. To clean railings, turn the pressure downwards to 1000 lbs/psi and work from at least iii feet away every bit you spray them in overlapping quick vertical strokes.

v. Sweep away standing h2o. In one case yous're done ability washing your deck, use a broom to sweep abroad standing puddles of water. This will help your deck dry faster and reduce splintering. Requite your deck at to the lowest degree 2 full days to dry before putting furniture or outdoor rugs back on it.

Maintenance, Sealing, and Painting

Keep your deck swept throughout the year, so fallen leaves and other debris don't trap moisture that can make your deck rot or develop mold. If you lot live in a snowy expanse, you should too shovel snow off of your deck whenever you shovel the driveway. Allowing snowfall to build up adds an enormous amount of weight to your deck, and the melting snowfall can also cause your deck's forest to warp.

If you lot plan to seal or pigment your deck, first give it a deep clean using one or both of these methods. Then, let information technology dry out for at least a week before applying surface treatments. To test whether it'due south dry enough for sealant, sprinkle a quarter cup of water on the wood. If the deck absorbs the water in 5-10 minutes, it'south dry enough. If the droplets stay on the surface longer than that, the wood is still too moisture.

When you're set to reseal, apply a pad or foam roller to utilize the sealant or paint. For most decks, deep cleaning and sealing in one case a yr is enough. Don't go longer than iii years without reapplying sealant, or your deck'due south wood may begin to warp and split.

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