How To Clean A Composite Deck

For larger surfaces, work in small sections to ensure the area stays wet the entire time. Even if you don’t have a power washer, you can still use power washer soap for cleaning. Instead of loading the cleaner into the sprayer, you can apply it with a sponge or mop. Before you can stain a deck, you need to prep and sand the surface. Sweep and wash the deck’s surface to remove all dirt, wood fibers, grease, mold, and mildew. If the surface is dirty, the stain or sealant will not stick. This condition can be decreased greatly with the use of a product call ACL Staticide®.

This should be enough to remove any dirt without damaging the composite decking. If scrubbing by hand with a scrub brush, create a cleaner using 1/3 cup of laundry detergent and one gallon of water.

In fact, there are some mistakes that can actually increase the regular care required to maintain a composite deck. Here are a few tips to avoid the extra work and get the most out of your deck. While you may be tempted to wait until your next routine cleaning to remove the food, it should be done immediately or else staining might result. Thankfully, composite decking is easily cleaned with the soap-and-water method or basic power washing. Calcium-chloride ice melts are usually safe for composite decking and our recommended solution. This compound is highly effective at melting ice without damaging the composite surface.

Cleaning Composite And Wood Decking

Removing Mold, Tree Sap And Mildew Stains On Composite Deck Railings

Mildew needs a food source to grow, which can be grass, pollens, dirt, debris, wood, and wood resins. Once we have built you the deck of your dreams, you want to know how to keep it that way! And although composite decking can be lower maintenance than other types of decking, this certainly doesn’t mean “maintenance free”. In fact, there are some mistakes that could actually increase the regular care required to maintain your composite deck. Here are a few tips to restore your deck and get it clean and ready to enjoy every day. If you live in an area where rain is frequent, mold and/or mildew can grow on your wood deck. Left untreated, these fungi will thrive and eventually destroy the wood’s cellular structure, leading to rot and decay.

Pressure Washing Your Composite Decking

Keep a safe distance between the power washer and the deck surface. We recommend staying a minimum of 6” away from the surface.

• Learn how to clean and care for your composite decking by reading the information that applies to your decking product and get ready to enjoy maximum outdoor living with minimal maintenance.
• See the links on the Corte Clean web site to OSHA, the EPA and Spore-Tech before using chlorine bleach on a POROUS surface like Trex composite decking.
• For early-generation composite products (Trex Accents®, Trex Origins®, Trex Contours®, Trex Profiles® or Trex Brasilia®), we recommend a semi-annual cleaning with a composite deck cleaner.
• To maintain the beauty of your Trex® deck, a little care and cleaning goes a long way.
• All exterior building materials require cleaning and a Trex deck is no different.

Eventually, it will discolor your deck, damage the surface and exacerbate any mold/mildew issues that can occur. Avoid this costly mistake and choose a non-toxic, sodium percarbonate based cleaner. Apply your composite deck cleaner.Your deck cleaner will come with detailed, specific instructions that you should follow carefully. Keeping the pressure washer under 800 psi, wash off the cleaner by going along the grain. Maintain a distance of at least 8 to 10 inches from the surface of your deck, and make sure to keep your spray moving.

How To Treat Stains On Your Outdoor Deck

These cleaners are usually sprayed on, worked into the grain with a deck brush for even coverage, and then rinsed off with a garden hose. All-purpose wood deck cleaners contain detergents to dissolve surface dirt, spills, and grime. 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.

Are Pressure Washers Safe For Composite Deck Railings?

At the first sign of mold or mildew (grayish-white powdery-looking splotches) look for a cleaner containing mildewcide . Leaving the solution on the wood allows ample time to kill the fungi and then seep into the deck’s surface to reduce the chance of mold or mildew growing again in the future. Mold spreads easily and may return in some environments despite proper cleaning and preventative measures. Mold does not damage Trex and will cause no structured harm if allowed to propagate. In some cases it will require several treatments with the deck wash to completely remove all mold colonies. Even if the spots are no longer visible,there may still be mold spores on the surface that could regrow.

How To Clean Cedar Homes And Remove Stains From Moss, Algae & Mold

Like other wood deck varieties, composite decking is quite porous. It's best to use an oxygenated cleaner that will sink deep into the material to clean the lower layers as well as on the surface. Pressure washing is not usually recommended for composite decking. Pressure washing too close or using too much pressure can be ruinous for your deck. Composite decking material is softer than natural wood and therefore can be “etched” more easily. Once the material has been “opened up”, this can lead to a host of other issues including chipping, sun damage, and mold staining of the plastics inside the opening. Once mold has stained these plastics, it can be extremely hard to remove.