How can you get your deck as clean as the pros can?

Question

A few years ago a company came out and cleaned my deck. They sprayed down something (not bleach) and washed it with low pressure. The results were so dramatic but it looked simple enough. I want to restain my deck as it looks tired and worn. Any ideas what to use on it to clean it?

Answer 1

You can clean you deck by using this professional grade cleaner found at www.restore-a-deck.com.

They also sell one of the best stains you will find called Baker's Gray Away.

Answer 2

I would use Tri Sodium Phosphate, in Hardware stores the bottle will say TSP, it's usually used to wash walls before painting but the stuff is so amazing it cleans so well and doesn't remove the paint colour. As for the stain on wood I would do a test patch first, and wear gloves when you use it. On other thing I like to buy the powdered TSP instead of the liquid it goes further and it's very inexpensive. Just follow the directions on the box and go for it. I was going to repaint my living room and dining once and thought I should wash it down first (I burned wood) well after I washed the walls the paint looked brand new and I didn't have to paint at all. This stuff is great inexpensive and works miracles. Good luck.

Answer 3

Haven't tried Oxy-clean so can't knock it - but this I know - My friends has his own business. He has one of the washers that's as big as a vehicle that you pull on a trailer. The secret that he uses is liquid pool shock-it that he purchases in 55 gal. drum. He also has to purchase special nozzles that the super chlorine won't damage but for a small job I would just buy a cheap pump sprayer $10.00 or so and know that it will not last long. You need to cover all the parts, o-rings etc. with petroleum jelly before you put it together (this will buy you a few more days). You can purchase the liquid shock-it at pool supply stores. Wal-mart and places like that only carry the powder for safety reasons.

Answer 4

What ever you do please do not pressure wash your deck it is the worst thing you can do to a deck. Go to Home Depot and ask them for the proper steps to stain or seal your deck. There are 3 steps. First one is in a green bottle then step 2 is in a white bottle, then the finally step is in a blue bottle. If you don't follow these steps you WILL be reapplying the stain again in 6 months. Trust me I am a coatings consultant.

Answer 5

You can go to your local home center and look for wood deck cleaners. Cabot makes one, but there are other manufacturers. Then you simply follow the directions which involves putting it on your deck for a prescribed amount of time, and then rinsing off with a hose. It does use quite a bit of water to hose off, and you want to make sure it is rinsed out very well. You didn't say what kind of wood your deck is made of, though. In general, this kind of treatment will tend to dry the wood out somewhat, so you would want/need to reseal it, or refinish it somehow. And, of course, depending on where in the country (USA) you live, it may be better to wait until spring to undertake such a project.

Answer 6

I wash decks. Rent a power washer and use about half and half bleach, put it on low pressure then let it sit for awhile, power wash it off. Let it dry, this time stain the deck with treated stain.

Answer 7

Once you get your deck as clean as you want,useing deck cleaner or bleach you need to seal it with a color type sealer.I do mine and they look great when you use a color sealer.LOWES will get you going right,

Answer 8

go to your nearest cloverdale paint supply store and ask for a deck cleaning chemical and then for a good quality deck waterproofing/sealer compound .

Answer 9

power wash

Answer 10

Oxyclean!!!!

It works great!