Like with any other part of your home, proper care and maintenance are the key to making sure you get the most value for your investment over the longest period of time possible.
If you don’t learn how to clean composite decking and just let things be to themselves, your deck will suffer for it.
And the longer you let the dirt and grime accumulate, the harder it will be when you finally clean it (and the longer it will take you to clean it all).
To make things worse, if you neglect cleaning for long enough, that grime could eventually cause physical damage to your deck that you’ll need to spend even more time and money to repair.
Fortunately, keeping your composite deck clean and in working order is not that hard if you know how to clean composite decking.
And we’re here to help you with some basic tips.
Note: This process should be done at least twice a year to keep your deck in the best possible condition.
Also Note: The instructions in this guide also generally apply to all-wood decks (except for Step 4, which you should probably consult a professional about).
1. Remove all Furniture and Other Objects From Your Deck
It will be a lot harder for you to complete all the steps in this process if your deck is cluttered with a bunch of chairs and other things that you need to maneuver your way around.
And you’ll probably end up missing spots if you try to leave those things where they are and work around them.
You don’t want to have any moldy or dirty patches underneath the grill or anything like that.
Like we said in the intro to this article, any bit of dirt or grime you leave behind will likely become a bigger problem for you over time.
Do everything the right way the first time so that you don’t have to do it the right way later to fix whatever you missed or damaged the first time by trying to take shortcuts.
In the long run, shortcuts cost you more time than they save.
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2. Clear the Surface of Debris
In other words, sweep your deck.
Like the previous step, this would also be required if you were coating, painting, or repairing your deck.
In general, any time you do anything to your deck, you’ll want to make sure the deck surface is clear of any objects (like furniture) or debris.
In the case of cleaning, debris can cause the same problem as furniture: a piece of debris is ultimately an object that is between the cleaning solution and the surface that is being cleaned.
So if you don’t remove all the debris before you wash your deck, you can get many tiny patches of dirtiness after the wash.
And those tiny patches add up to a bigger problem.
As for sweeping, it’s usually best to use a regular broom or microfiber broom, depending on how smooth your deck is.
You can even use a leaf blower if you want to be really thorough.
3. Mix and Apply the Cleaning Solution
You don’t want to damage your deck with harsh chemicals.
So, it’s best to stick to the old reliables: warm water with mild soap.
Mix these two in a bucket and grab your mop or soft-bristle brush.
Like with the chemicals, you want to take it easy with the bristles and avoid damaging the surface of your deck by scrubbing it hard with a hard-bristle brush.
Even with a soft-bristle brush, you don’t want to scrub too hard.
You’ll finish this step by rinsing your deck thoroughly with water to remove all the soap and everything else.
Don’t use a pressure washer; just use normal water from a hose or a bucket.
Most dirt or nastiness will come off with just this mild soapy solution, a light scrub with soft bristles, and a good rinse.
And if that’s all it takes, then this can be the last step for you in learning how to clean composite decking.
But if you still have a stain or dirty spot that doesn’t come off after all this, you’ll proceed to the next step…
4. Finish Off Any Tougher Spots With Composite Deck Cleaner
This is the last resort for any stains or dirty spots that still remain after you’ve completed Step 3.
Once your deck is dry from the rinsing you gave it in Step 3, find any stains that still remain and place a small rock or something next to them so that you don’t lose them.
After you’ve done that, spot clean them by applying a small amount of composite deck cleaner to them.
You can either buy an eco-friendly cleaner from the store (don’t kill your yard with chemical runoff) or you can make your own with vinegar and baking soda.
After the cleaner has soaked in for a few minutes, lightly scrub the spot and rinse it off thoroughly with water.
If there’s still a stain or anything else left over after this…
When In Doubt, Phone It In
As with so many other things involving home improvement and maintenance, if you encounter any significant struggles or difficulties, consult the professionals.
It’s better for you to spend a bit of money hiring them to do things for you than it is for you to pay them a lot of money to repair the damage from whatever you tried to do yourself.
Even if you aren’t encountering difficulties, it can never hurt to give a professional a call.
If nothing else, they can give you even more helpful tips and information about how to clean composite decking than what we’ve provided here in this article.
