12 Sep Time to Clean the Deck

We’re often asked about the required maintenance for a deck – what do I do? how often? what to use? – and we’ll try to provide some basic guidelines here.

Synthetic Decking

Synthetic products like composite or vinyl decking, aluminum railing, vinyl siding, even paver patios are fairly simple to tend to. You should regularly sweep and hose off the areas to keep them free of dirt and pollen. If you have an area that is very dirty, you may need to use a mild dish soap and agitate the area, or even possibly use a deck like cleaner like Corte-Clean that is bleach-free. We advise extreme caution when using a pressure washer, as it is very possible that you could damage the products if you are too aggressive. A great comparison is to think about how you keep your car clean – vacuuming and washing – and just apply that to your outdoor space.

Wood Decking

Wood decks will take a little more effort because not only do you have to clean, but also stain, most woods. The lone exception can be hardwood, which some folks allow to weather to a silvery patina. Most prefer the rich, darker color that the wood naturally has before it is exposed to the sun’s UV rays. Again, we recommend use a cleaner and brightener, as opposed to pressure washing, when it comes to prepping the deck for staining. These are simple products to mix and apply, contain no bleach, and often do a better job with less effort. Penofin makes a Pro-Tech line of products – stripper, cleaner, and brightener – that can be used to prep a wood deck. Penofin also makes a diverse line of penetrating oil products that can be applied to the deck for the staining component. The penetration protects the wood from the inside out and provides a simple process for re-application in the future. There are other stains that you might prefer in a similar fashion, but we also caution against painting anything exterior, especially a deck. For any questions or further assistance, feel free to contact us. We don’t clean and stain decks, but are happy to share the knowledge we’ve obtained and sell the Penofin line of products for you to use on your own deck.