How to Pressure Wash a Porch

Pressure washing a deck removes dirt that is deep down in the boards.

Your porch takes a lot of abuse from wind, sun, foot traffic and dirt. As the dirt is pounded into the porch wood, the wood will stain and weaken. It is important to wash your porch regularly to remove dirt build up. Using a power washer on your porch will remove deep down dirt. Doing it properly prevents the power washer from damaging the wood of the porch. If done incorrectly, your porch may look worse than it did before the pressure washing.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Pressure sprayer
• Detergent
• Water
• Stiff bristle push broom
• Pressure washer

Instructions

1. Inspect the deck wood by pressing a screwdriver into the wood. If the screwdriver penetrates deeply into the wood, it is bad and needs to be replaced.

2. Mix together porch cleaner detergent, available at most hardware stores, and water in a pressure sprayer. Pump the sprayer handle and pressurize it.

3. Spray a 10-foot square area with the pressure sprayer. Scrub the portion of the deck with a stiff bristle push broom to remove dirt from the wood.

4. Connect the hoses for the pressure washer by tightening the tubes by hand according to the instructions for the washer. Connect the pressure washer to a water source.

5. Spray the wood of the porch with the pressure washer. Hold the pressure washer wand tip about a foot away from the wood to prevent damaging the wood.

6. Continue spraying and scrubbing the porch, then rinsing with the pressure sprayer, until the entire porch is cleaned.

References

• Ron Hazelton: How to Restore and Maintain a Deck
• Ask the Builder: How to Clean a Deck
• Ask the Builder: Deck Pressure Washer Video