Do's and don'ts of deck cleaning

A wood deck represents a sizable investment, and keeping it well maintained is an important part of every homeowner's to-do list. A clean deck not only helps showcase that backyard centerpiece, it prepares the wood to receive the surface coatings that are necessary to help your deck fight off the elements.

First, a couple of cleaning "don'ts":

Pressure washing: While it's definitely important to remove surface dirt from the deck, pressure washing may not be the best way to do that. A pressure washer is easy to misuse when you're working on softwood lumber such as cedar, redwood or pressure-treated fir.

The concentrated force of the water jet can erode the soft cells and fibers of the springwood portion of the wood, which is located between the harder, darker bands of summerwood. The result is a wavy wood surface and the potential for splintering that can actually shorten the life of the wood. A lighter spray from a garden hose combined with a medium-bristle push broom is typically a better choice.

Household bleach: These types of common laundry bleaches -- typically sodium hypochlorite -- are very effective at killing mildew, but they do virtually nothing to remove dirt, and can do more harm then good on your deck. Household bleach will remove some of the wood's natural color, leaving it with an unnatural and unattractive whitish or grayish tone, and can also cause the wood's surface to become somewhat fuzzy, which is not only unattractive, it also opens up the wood pores for more dirt to enter. Instead of bleach, stick with a cleaner made specifically for decks.

SPECIALIZED DECK CLEANERS

In the last 10 years or so, a number of specialized products designed specifically for deck cleaning have appeared on the market. Most of today's cleaners are not chlorine-based, making them both safer and easier to apply, and much better for your deck's wood. ...CONTINUED

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