Sure, you could raze the deck completely, getting rid of all of that moldy, mildewed wood, recycling it and making it someone else’s problem, and then start all over again by building a new one. But that’s not always possible, nor is it the best or most feasible choice. Here are the cleaners you should consider using for your deck. ThamKC / Getty Images
Box of baking soda 1 cup of vinegar 2 tablespoons of mild dishwashing liquid/soap (not the stuff for your dishwasher) 1 gallon of water
Sprinkle baking soda on affected areas of deck. Mix vinegar, soap, and water in a bucket; apply to one section of mildew-infested decking; and scrub with a brush until you see results. This method may have to be repeated for a thorough job. Pre-spray surrounding vegetation with water to help reduce the burn risk to plant leaves if you accidentally overspray the bleach onto landscaping. It is also advised to wet down the abutting plants again immediately after applying the bleach to the deck, so as to rinse away any run-off or overspray that occurred. If you don’t own a pressure washer or can’t borrow one from a friend or neighbor, they can be rented from a local hardware store, usually by the day. Be sure to start by putting on PPE, including closed-toed shoes, gloves, and safety glasses. Once you’ve read the instruction manual, start at the center of the deck and direct the spray to both ends, hitting all areas. This should be done prior to applying a cleaner or brightener. Top brands include:
Sun Joe Karcher AR Blue Clean Simpson
It delivers streak-free cleaning by constantly keeping its two spray nozzles at a fixed height from the surface. Two spray nozzles spin at a high speed, which cause the attachment to “hover” and also make it easy to maneuver. It’s compatible with vertical surfaces as well, such as walls, fences, siding, garage doors, etc.
A few of these products include:
Wet & ForgetSpray & ForgetMoldex by EnviroCareBayer 2-in-1 Moss & Algae Killer
Be sure to put on safety glasses or goggles when using this product as well to avoid any splashing in the eyes. It’s better to maintain the deck more often, including sweeping, rather than leaving it so that it has to be treated with something strong like trisodium phosphate.
