3 Ways To Clean A Composite Deck

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. Care & Cleaning Guide Trex We recommend a basic cleaning with a composite deck cleaner or combination of Use of products containing bleach or acid will lighten the surface of Trex.

Make sure to get down in the crevices and corners thoroughly. Remember - composite materials clean easier and better than the traditional wood deck, and using the soap-and-water method in chapter 1 removes most of the dirt and stains. The best way to get rid of pollen completely from composite decking is to power wash your deck. For the best practices on power washing your deck, see chapter 3 below. 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. Add borax to your deck cleaning mixture to remove mildew.

Step 2: Spray With Soapy Water & Scrub

Although the surface looks solid, composite decking is actually quite porous. Therefore, it needs an oxygenated cleaner that can reach deep into the material and clean insidethe deck as well as the surface.

How Long Do Composite Decks Last?

• If you’re cleaning a wooden deck, you might need something a little more powerful.
• Be very careful so that you use only ammonia free dish soap.
• 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.
• Otherwise, if ammonia is mixed with bleach, it can create toxic fumes.
• Liquid dish soap (ammonia-free) is safe for use on cleaning your natural wood deck when mixed with a little warm water.
• Once you’ve blended your mixture, swab it on your deck and rinse it clean with water.

If you are reading a product label, Chlorine Bleach is referred to as Sodium Hypochlorite. The misconception exists that Chlorine Bleach will “kill it all”, but when it comes to mold, nothing could be further from the truth. Composite decking has become an extremely popular material for outdoor decks. Because your deck is exposed to the elements every day, routine cleaning is needed to keep it looking great. Keep the surface as dry as possible and free of debris by sweeping frequently. Scrub it by hand or with a pressure washer at least twice a year.

How To Clean Composite Decking With Bleach

Once this happens, it can be nearly impossible to remove the internal mold stains. On the other hand, when it comes to the best way to clean composite decking, the answer looks quite different from cleaning methods for natural decking. To maintain the beauty and functionality that you want from your deck, a little care and cleaning can go a long way. Additionally, there are a number of safe, homemade cleaning solutions you can use on your deck, regardless of whether you have a natural wood or composite deck. These ingredients can be purchased from your local hardware or general store. Designing and building a deck suited to your wants and needs can be fun and exciting.

Top 5 Reasons Not To Pressure Wash Your Home With Bleach

For spot stains that result from something that's been allowed to sit on the deck for a while, first try to remove it with soapy water and a brush. If this doesn’t work, the stain has probably set itself quite well into the pores of the decking. If it's a stain caused by a greasy substance, a degreasing agent may help.

There are a couple products out that will help as the multiple issues you have explained won't be handled by just one. If your deck isn’t too dirty, soap and water will do. If it’s been a while, you may want to use a commercial cleaning product; always read the manufacturer’s instructions before using any commercial deck cleaner. Note that composite deck cleaners such as Corte Clean , Thompson& 39;s Water as alcohol, petroleum spirits, white spirits or bleach diluted to five percent 5% .

What I like about oxygen bleach is that it removes the gray coloration from the small wood fibers in my decking, making it look like new. The sun’s UV rays cause the wood fibers in the decking to turn gray. 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. This may happen once or twice after the initial cleaning. Once that phase is over, keep your composite decking looking good with a necessary routine cleaning.