3 Helpful Tips For Cleaning A Deck

Nothing's quite as nice as a deck when summer rolls around. Yet nobody feels inspired to fire up the barbeque or reach for a lounge chair on a deck that's covered with leaves, dirt, and debris. If you've got a deck in need of a wash, read on. This article will present three tips to make cleaning it a breeze.

Use a leaf blower to remove loose debris.

After removing all of the furniture from your deck, the next step is to thoroughly clear any loose debris. When all you've got is a broom, this can seem like a real chore. So if you happen to have a leaf blower kicking around in your garage, count yourself lucky. This handy appliance will save you both time and effort, easily blasting away the debris that tends to build up between the boards of your deck.

Make your own cleaning solution.

Sure you could spend top dollar on a prepackaged bottle of deck cleaner at your local home improvement store. But why take the trouble when you may be able to mix up your own cleaning solution without ever getting in the car or pulling out your wallet. Just follow this simple recipe:

• 1 gallon of water
• 1 cup of powdered laundry soap
• 3/4 cup of oxygen bleach

Apply the solution generously to all parts of the deck and give it a light scrub using either a deck brush or a broom. Then allow the cleaner to sit undisturbed for several minutes, before rinsing the deck with clean water. Stubborn grease spots (common around grills) can be treated by directly sprinkling powdered detergent onto the stain. After the detergent has sat in place for a few minutes, the stain should easily rinse away.

Be careful when using a pressure washer.

Like leaf blowers, pressure washers are capable of turning a tough job into a snap. But as many unfortunate deck owners have found, a pressure washer can wreak havoc on a wood deck when wielded incorrectly. To avoid cutting ugly gouges into your deck, it's important to follow a few simple protocols when working with a pressure washer.

First of all, never exceed a pressure of 1,500 psi. In fact, start the pressure off as low as you can and gradually increase it until you find a setting that is both safe and effective. Second, use the right spray tip. A narrow tip will concentrate the water more forcefully over a smaller area, thus increasing the chance of damage. The ideal spray tip should be between 40 and 60 degrees wide.

For more information about decks, contact Think Beast or a similar company.