Deck Maintenance

How To Clean Composite Decking

Bottom line, older TREX, TimberTech, and other wood content composites should be bleached and brightened. Please contact the manufacturer or read the literature that came with your decking if you have any doubts on power washing. A power washer can create serious damage to a composite deck if the pressure is too high, an inappropriate nozzle is used, and/or the nozzle is held too close to the surface. Always start in an inconspicuous area when power washing to test that it is not damaging the decking. The safest course will always be to hand wash your composite decking.

Decking & Railing Duos

He or she should use a relatively low pressure-setting and a wide fan, with the power washer held at least two feet off the ground. This can be a good way to deep clean your deck and get embedded dirt out, but you don’t want to have a professional power wash your deck too frequently . For the most part, you can clean your deck on a regular basis without using a power washer.

• Simply scrub the solution into the decking one section at a time and rinse.
• The best part of composites is that, with the exception of food stains, you only have to clean your deck for aesthetic reasons.
• I really like what I read about your products.
• Should I seal the new deck boards with clear Defy Sealer before installed and avoid the past issues of black mildew/algae build up or is it necessary with newer Trex composites?
• For wood decks, not cleaning often enough can lead to more costly maintenance.

The Composite Deck Cleaning Process

Wood decks are especially vulnerable to power washing, because the pressure exerted by the power washer can lead to splintering. If there is any area on the deck where the wood is already beginning to split apart, power washing it will exacerbate the problem and cause the split area to expand. 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. Make sure you're extra careful when pressure washing.This material is softer than natural wood and therefore can be etched more easily. Once it has been damaged, other issues such as chipping, sun damage and mold staining of the interior plastic can arise.

Buyers Guide: The Best Deck Cleaners

The best part of composites is that, with the exception of food stains, you only have to clean your deck for aesthetic reasons. For wood decks, not cleaning often enough can lead to more costly maintenance. Thurston said the green and brown stains you describe are probably mold and mildew, which come in a variety of colors besides basic black.

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. Address stains as soon as possible, and make sure your deck continues to maintain adequate drainage to prevent mold and mildew from growing. Composite decks on the other hand, offer a lower level of all-around maintenance – they won’t splinter and you don’t need to worry about periodic staining, painting or sealing projects.

Many of the composite companies use wood content in them as well. is referring to was the original TREX which was Red Oak which is a hard wood that leaves a dark black tannin. Anyone who has had to clean off oak leaf stains from concrete can attest to that.

Even if they’ve been sealed, wood decks, especially cedar and redwood, eventually begin to dull and take on a weathered, gray appearance. Rusty streaks can also appear around screw heads or along the wood’s grain. 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.