How To Clean Your Deck Or Patio With Vinegar And Baking Soda, Environmentally And Pet Safe

Step 2: Spray With Soapy Water & Scrub

Store decking on a flat level surface and always use proper supports , Do not store directly on the ground. All food spills should be removed as soon as possible. The surface must be cleaned within seven days to maintain the stain warranty.

Premixed Vs Concentrated Deck Cleaners

Keep this guide in mind as you begin prepping to clean your composite deck. A power washer can be used for RINSING ONLY with TimberTech Deck or Porch. Spray in the direction of the grain pattern, never across the grain, to avoid damaging the product. Baking soda as a soft scrub is also very good for cleaning your barbecue grill. Again, simply use it as a scrubbing powder with the coarse bristled brush or steel wool to remove tough, cooked on grit and grime. In this article, we’ll look at 7 smart ways you can use the safe, simple, all-purpose cleaner – baking soda to get your deck or patio area fresh and clean and keep it that way. Letting damp organic debris build up on your deck can also leave stains and create the perfect environment for mold to grow.

Can I Seal Composite Decking?

Pour yourself a tall cup of coffee, put on some tunes and get started. Luckily for us all— advancements in deck building have made affording, installing and maintaining a deck easier than ever before! Preserving your composite deck is easy as long as you make an effort to clean it semi-annually and use the proper cleaning tools to do so. Proper cleaning tools are crucial in maintaining a gorgeous deck; your deck is an investment that deserves to be protected.

• Address stains as soon as possible, and make sure your deck continues to maintain adequate drainage to prevent mold and mildew from growing.
• If this is the first time you have cleaned your deck it’s possible that there are deep set mold stains that the solution didn’t reach.
• They may rise to the surface at some point and need cleaning again.
• Scrub it by hand or with a pressure washer at least twice a year.

Composite decking requires a little extra attention when cleaning. Regular cleaning of dirt and debris can easily be done with a household broom or a garden hose.

The posts and other vertical boards will not be made from composite material, but they don't need to be cleaned as often because they don't hold standing water. Address the oily stain as soon as you notice it; the longer it sits on the surface of your deck, the more difficult it will be to remove. Use a soft bristled brush and soapy water to scrub at the stain. If the lines are not overlap marks able to be taken out by washing again, then take pictures and ask the manufacturer before trying too many other things out. The composite decking materials now greatly vary in some areas. If the manufacturer is unhelpful, I would consider experimenting with my heat gun after researching the specific material. You may choose to use a pressure washer to spray the deck clean.

This will allow the air to pass between the boards helping to keep the underside nice and dry. Allow the deck to dry.Let the deck dry for several days, and then see if any stains haven’t been cleaned away.

As for me--after getting a complete runaround from Trex --my plan this fall is to rip the damn stuff up and start over. Chlorine Bleach or Sodium Hypochlorite based deck cleaners that the uneducated recommend may appear to quickly remove mildew and mold fungus from Trex and other Composite Decking. We purchased a $20,000 "maintenance free" deck and within the first year, black mold spots began to appear.

You may need to wait a few days for the deck to completely dry depending on weather conditions. Cover plants, grass, concrete, trim, and any other areas you don’t want stained. Chlorine Bleach is extremely corrosive and will eat away at your deck eventually causing discoloration of your decking, damage the surface, and intensify any mold issues that can occur.

For the best practices on power washing your deck, see chapter 3 below. While mildew and mold can infiltrate and ruin a wooden deck, it can’t damage a composite deck. They look unsightly on your deck, but it won’t harm or ruin the composite structure. In this article, we cover everything you need to know and do to clean your composite deck and porch safely. Feel free to read through the article, or simply click the chapter relating to your cleaning question. Gently brush the whole deck, applying more pressure where you notice stubborn stains or grime build-up.