Best Tips on How to Maintain and Clean Your Home Deck

Published on 14 Feb, 2024

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How to Clean Your Home Deck

Do you want your deck to last for many years? If so, then you should maintain and clean your home deck.

Annual deck maintenance will keep it looking great and protected from the elements for as long as possible.

But as you look for information on maintaining or cleaning your home deck, you will need help finding one way. The “right” way depends on the material your deck is made of.

Composite deck maintenance is easier to maintain compared to wooden deck maintenance. Here’s why:

When you have a wood deck, you must use a sealer or a stain to seal and prevent swelling caused by dew and rain. Sealing also protects a wooden deck from the sun (which can dry and shrink the wood) and other weather conditions that can make the wood gray, warp, crack, and cup.

In contrast, you don’t have to worry about deck cleaning and sealing when you have a composite deck (especially one from TimberTech). But even though you don’t have to paint, seal, or stain a composite deck, you still must clean your home deck every year and repair damaged or loose parts.

Are you wondering how to maintain a wood or composite deck? Here is a guide for cleaning and maintaining both types of decks!

How to clean a composite deck

TimberTech Composite and Advanced PVC decks are straightforward to clean. All you need is:

Water for rinsing (it can be a power washer or a hose)
A recommended brush for your deck with an extension handle
TimberTech DeckCleaner

Apply TimberTech DeckCleaner on a small and manageable area, brush with the recommended brush, and rinse. Repeat the process until you have cleaned the entire deck.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Tip #1: Use TimberTech DeckCleaner. It is field-tested, formulated, and approved for seasonal cleanup, stubborn spots, and everyday spills. TimberTech Deck Cleaner is the best choice for TimberTech’s Composite Decking and Advanced PVC Decking. It’s nontoxic, biodegradable, and bleach-free, making it safe for seasonal cleanups, stubborn spots, or everyday spills. On average, you will need a gallon with one part cleaner and three parts water to clean around 1,000 square feet of decking surface.

Tip #2: Be careful and clean only in small, manageable areas, then thoroughly rinse every area before proceeding to the next. Letting the cleaner dry on the surface will leave a problematic white film to clean off. Also, avoid getting the cleaner on stainless steel, glass, vegetation, plants, and painted surfaces. If you do, rinse those surfaces immediately.

Tip #3: Use the recommended brush with the extension handle. This means using brushes made with medium to stiff nylon for composite decks. Use a downward pressure when scrubbing, particularly in the direction of the grain.

Tip #4: Finally, be sure to rinse thoroughly. A garden hose should be enough, but if using a power washer, use the fan tip nozzle only and set the pressure to 1,500 psi. Spray in the grain pattern’s direction instead of across the grain so you don’t damage the product. Don’t forget to take proper safety precautions while operating the power washer!

After rinsing your deck, remove the standing water with a sponge mop or towel. Then, let the deck air dry.

Pro tip: Don’t clean your home deck under direct sunlight. Heat can dry the surface quickly before you can rinse the cleaner off.

How to clean a wooden deck

Maintaining and cleaning a wooden deck takes more work compared to composite decks. Certain types of wood may also require special treatment. For instance, cedar deck maintenance is entirely different from redwood deck maintenance.

This is why we recommend hiring a deck maintenance service to remove the guesswork from the task. That said, you can still do things yourself to maintain and clean your home deck between professional cleanings. Doing these will prevent it from deteriorating quickly and extend its lifespan.

Tip #1: Seal the deck – Wood can swell when constantly exposed to do and rain. It can also shrink, dry, warp, crack, cup, or discolor with sun exposure and wear and tear caused by changing weather. The only way to prevent those problems is by sealing with a specially formulated wood stain or sealer.

Tip #2: Clear out dirt, leaves, and debris – Don’t forget to check the gaps between the boards every year and remove buildup to promote water drainage. This also allows garbage to go through the cracks.

Tip #3: Sweep at least once a year – Move your accessories, grill, and furniture out of the way before sweeping your deck to remove leaves, debris, and dirt.

Tip #4: Power wash – Use a low setting with a wide fine or sprayer when washing your deck. Alternatively, you can use a long-handled scrub brush. Just don’t forget to pre-rinse the deck with a meeting before cleaning it.

Tip #5: Inspect your deck – Check for loose deck boards, split wood, weak handrails, unsafe areas, and rot at least once a year. Replace, fortify, and repair parts that require them, including nails or screws.