Deck Cleaning and Maintenance - Plan for a Longer Lasting Outdoor Living Space
Proper maintenance of your deck has to include a good deck cleaning from time to time.
There is nothing like a good power washer to really clean your deck and do it quickly and effortlessly. But before power washing, give the deck a good sweep with a stiff broom and remove all surface dirt.
Deck Cleaners
Now that you have removed the easiest dirt, apply a cleaning product to the decking boards by either spraying it on or using a roller. A good deck cleaner will remove oxidation and dissolve hard to remove dirt. It also kills mold and bacteria which is great if you live in a wet climate.
A couple of good cleaning products are Deckwash made by Sherwin-Williams www.sherwin-williams.com and Simple wash by www.Biowash.com.
Apply the cleaner and allow it to soak in for a few minutes. Then give it a light pressure wash. Don't go crazy on the pressure washing. There is no need to remove a layer of wood.
While you are spraying, don't forget to go underneath and give the bottom of the deck a nice spray as well.
Power Washer Tips
A proper power washer for cleaning decks should provide at least 2000 psi but perferably 2400 to 2500 psi. Otherwise you'll spend much more time trying to remove the grime and dirt than you ought to.
Be careful you don't damage the deck boards because water under pressure can be very destructive. No matter what you do some of the wood fibres will get a bit fuzzy and raised up a bit because of the water.
You can minimize this by keeping the wand between 6" and 9" from the deck surface in a flattened pendulum motion.For a good cleaning use a 15 degree tip. If you just want to remove light surface dirt, the 25 degree tip is best. Anything wider and it is not much better than using a garden hose under thumb pressure.
Follow this routine and your deck will be clean and well maintained for years to come. The other aspects to properly cleaning a deck surface that completes the deck maintenance process are explained more thoroughly in the deck finishing articles and include the use of cleaners, strippers, brightners and stains.
Apply a Brightener to the Deck
You don't have to do this but applying a deck brightener really revives the look of the wood. And since you are doing a full maintenance regime, it's well worth your effort to consider this extra step.
Use an inexpensive garden sprayer to apply the brightening agent and let it sit on the deck surface for 20 minutes before gently spraying it off with the pressure washer.
Sherwin-Williams has a good product called Revive and for cedar and redwood enthusiasts www.ewoodcare.com has a specially designed deck brightener.
A Clean Beautiful Deck Awaits You
Your deck should be sparkling clean and look practically brand new. You are finished the deck cleaning aspect of your maintenance program. The only thing left is to apply the finish and then you can start to enjoy your backyard.