Trouble Cleaning a Wood Deck Floor That Is Black
Wooden decks can develop quite a few stains such as mold, mildew, tannin, rust or simple food stains. You might run into some trouble if these stains are turning the wood deck black, as black stains can be tough to remove from light-colored decks. Alternatively, if your deck has black slats, you might have a hard time cleaning it without lightening the wood. Use products that will not change the deck's color. Does this Spark an idea?
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Black Tannin Stains
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Tannin is a residue that can turn your wooden deck floor black. These stains come from the inside of pine needles and usually only develop if you let pine needles pile up and decay on the wooden deck. Remove the tannin using a mild solution of detergent and water. Alternatively, use an oxalic acid wood cleaner to remove these stains, but be careful as oxalic acid can lighten wood.
Black Mold Stains
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Black mold tends to develop on wood that is often damp by precipitation, sprinklers or a humid climate. You can prevent this by painting a mold resistant wood sealant on the wood deck. Clean black mold stains with a detergent solution or use a solution of one part bleach with 10 parts water. Scrub the solution until the stains are gone and rinse the area completely.
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Black Iron Stains
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Iron stains can develop on your wooden deck and can eventually turn the deck black. This happens if you have a high amount of iron in your home's water supply. Prevent this by installing a water softener that will remove the iron or by treating the water before you use it to clean your deck. Remove black iron stains with oxalic acid or another type of wood bleach.
Black Wood Deck Lightening Issues
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If you've painted or stained your wood deck black, you might run into some trouble cleaning it. Many deck-cleaning products contain oxalic acid, which is sometimes referred to as a wood brightener. It will slightly lighten the wood color, which isn't generally noticeable on most wooden decks. However, if your deck slats are black, the oxalic acid will noticeably lighten them. Avoid these cleaners and instead use gentle cleaners and a lot of elbow grease to remove stains.
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References
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