Like all products that are exposed to the outdoors, a deck top of Cedar (as well as any other wood or manufactured decking) will become dirty and require some routine maintenance. A deck that is kept free of dirt and debris, both on the deck surface as well as underneath to allow airflow, will last longer and look better.
Annually, your deck should be inspected thoroughly and cleaned for optimum results, whether you plan on re-staining it or allowing it to go naturally grey.
Start by giving your Cedar deck a good sweeping and remove any leaves or other debris underneath the deck. Depending on how dirty the deck is, you can use a pressure washer fitted with a fan tip to loosen any stuck-on dirt if needed. Be sure to set the pressure to around 500 psi to 600 pounds per square inch (psi); any higher could cause the grain to come up or cause damage to the decking boards.
While there are many deck cleaners available on the market, we have found a solution of warm water, TSP (trisodium phosphate), and a small amount of bleach (or powdered oxygen bleach like Oxiclean) to work really well and be very cost-effective. Spray the solution on with an inexpensive garden sprayer, let sit about 5 minutes, scrub with a soft bristle cleaning brush where needed, and then rinse with thoroughly water. This should bring the Cedar deck top back to almost new condition. For help with specific problems or stains, check out our blog on those by clicking HERE.
We supplied the Clear, Western Red Cedar decking for this project a little over a year ago. Our customer just recently gave it an annual good cleaning, and as you can see, the deck top is brought back to “like new” condition.
Before your next project, be sure to visit us!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
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