How to Clean Composite Decking
Many homeowners replace their existing, dilapidated decks with composite decking. Composite decking holds up much better than traditional wood decking. It needs very little, if any, repair work. All composite decking needs is some cleaning once in a while to keep it looking good. Cleaning a composite made deck is easy. It takes only a couple of hours depending on the size of your deck. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Broom
- Pressure washer
- Composite deck cleaner
- Outside water hookup
- Bucket
- Long-handled scrub brush
- Rags
- Small scrub brush
- Garden hose
Instructions
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With a Pressure Washer
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1
Make sure to close all the windows on the side of the house containing the deck to prevent water and dirt from getting into the house.
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2
Sweep all the loose debris from your deck. Make sure to remove all cobwebs that are in the corners of the deck.
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3
Hook up your pressure washer to the outside spigot.
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4
Prepare and set up the cleaning solution according to the manufacturer's instructions of your pressure washer.
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5
Rinse the entire deck off using plain water.
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6
Use the pressure washer, loaded with the cleaning solution, to spray the entire deck with soapy water.
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7
Examine the deck. Use a long-handled, stiff scrub brush to remove any stubborn stains, mold or mildew.
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8
Spray the deck again with the pressure washer loaded with the cleaning solution.
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9
Rinse the deck off with fresh, clean water.
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10
Repeat the process if necessary.
Without a Pressure Washer
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11
Sweep all the loose debris off your deck. Make sure to remove all the cobwebs from all the corners as well.
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12
Fill a bucket with hot water. Check the manufacturer's instructions and add the appropriate amount of cleaner for the amount of water in your bucket.
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13
Scrub the entire surface of your deck using the long-handled scrub brush. Use a rag or handheld scrub brush to clean off the railings and other hard-to-reach areas.
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14
Hook up the garden hose to your outdoor spigot. Rinse off the deck thoroughly with fresh water.
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1
Tips & Warnings
For neglected decks, you will probably need to repeat the cleaning process. Most composite deck cleaners recommend cleaning the deck once a year. Do this on a nice, sunny day to speed the drying process and prevent more mold from growing.
