How to Clean Decking

Опубликовал Admin
26-10-2016, 10:00
3 868
0
A deck is an elevated surface that some homeowners have in their yards. Since decks are outside, they tend to become dirty over time. You can use common cleaning products to keep your deck looking new year round. Use the following tips for how to clean decking.

Prepare the Deck

  1. Remove all furniture and large debris. This allows you to see the entire surface before you clean the deck.
  2. Sweep the deck. Use a broom to push dirt, leaves and any small debris into a pile. Push the pile in a dustpan or trash bag.
  3. Remove debris stuck between the slats. Use a slim tool, such as a butter knife, to reach into the cracks of the deck and clear any trash from between the slats.
  4. Rinse the deck using a hose. Use a spray attachment on a hose to make the stream of water powerful enough to rinse away any debris that remains after sweeping. Pay particular attention to the deck cracks and heavily soiled surface areas when rinsing the deck with a hose.

Use Oxygen Bleach to Clean the Deck

  1. Mix oxygen bleach with water in a bucket. Oxygen bleach is an environmentally-friendly cleaner that does not harm nearby plants, unlike chlorine bleach. Read the instructions on the bottle of bleach to determine the recommended ratio of water to bleach.
  2. Apply the cleaner to the deck with a scrub brush. Scrub the surface to get rid of stains. Let the cleaner sit on the surface of the deck for 15 minutes.
  3. Rinse the cleaner off the deck. You can rinse with a hose or a pressure washer.

Clean the Deck Using a Pressure Washer

  1. Obtain a pressure washer. Rent a pressure washer from a local tool rental shop, or buy a pressure washer if you will use it often. Get one that has less than 1500 PSI, since anything stronger can destroy the deck.
  2. Add cleaning solution to the pressure washer. Use either oxygen bleach or a cleaner specifically for a pressure washer. Read the instructions on the container of cleaning solution to determine how much cleaning product to put in the pressure washer.
  3. Hold the pressure washer nozzle about 1 foot (0.3 m) (0.3 m) above the surface. Keeping the nozzle at this distance can avoid damaging the surface while cleaning the deck.
  4. Rinse the deck with fresh water from the pressure washer. Empty the cleaning solution out of the pressure washer, and then add clean water.
  5. Repeat the deck cleaning process for stubborn stains.

Tips

  • After the deck has completely dried, you may choose to apply a moisture/mold barrier. This will keep the deck protected from mold growth and keep your cleaning to a minimum.

Warnings

  • Only use a pressure washer on decks that are in good shape, since this tool can destroy older or damaged decks.
  • Do not let the cleaner sit on the deck for more than 15 minutes. If it dries on the surface, it will leave soap residue.

Things You'll Need

  • Broom and dustpan or trash bag
  • Slim tool
  • Scrub brush
  • Garden hose with sprayer attachment
  • Pressure washer
  • Cleaning solution
  • Water
  • Bucket
Теги:
Information
Users of Guests are not allowed to comment this publication.