I tell my neighbors.  I tell my clients.  I tell everybody who will listen.  NEVER pressure wash a deck!  When the pressure-wash companies send their college kids to knock on my door to "wash" my deck, I tell them why they should not be doing that to decks!  When I see their trucks*, they advertise cleaning decks, patios, siding, roofs - you name it!  The older the deck, the worse the wood reacts to pressure washing.  The big mistake is that companies and homeowners have a tendency to set the pressure way too high.  But even at low pressures the deck can become damaged. What does pressure washing do? So what to do instead? There are various, excellent, gentle cleansers out there.  Be sure to select cleansers that do not have caustic lye or acid, or say not to use around children, pets or water features.  A company called Dekswood makes an excellent cleanser that can be followed with sealants.  And the so-called "oxygen" cleansers, with the active ingredient of sodium percarbonate, are great and don't damage the wood, the kids or pets, the house or the yard.

You MUST seal your deck after cleaning.  The sun does more damage to your deck than rain and snow.  BE SURE TO USE A SEALANT THAT HAS UV INHIBITORS IN ADDITION TO WATER PROTECTION.  It will tell you what the contents are.  Water proofing alone is not enough. My recommendation:  Keep your deck gently cleaned and protected and it will last many decades.  Not doing so makes it unsafe and age much faster. * I once gave my spiel to a guy sitting in his company truck in a parking lot (with a smile on my face) and he told me he would NEVER pressure-wash his own deck.  He said he sees what damage it can do later!Non-caustic, non-acidic and contains no bleach. Requires no scrubbing, no rinsing and no pressure washing. Safe for any outdoor surface. One-step application: Simply spray and walk away! Wet & Forget does the work for you. Eliminates even the toughest cases of moss, algae, lichen, mold or mildew. Long-lasting: Keeps the surface clean for at least 1+ years in most cases.

Wet & Forget is an EPA registered product. Many products on the market are not. Safe to store in the sprayer. Wet & Forget Outdoor has a pH level of 8, while pure water has a pH of 7. Most products on the market have a pH level of 10-13, which is 100 – 10,000 times more alkyl than Wet & Forget Outdoor. Apply Wet & Forget Outdoor with a garden sprayer. Dilute 1 part Wet & Forget Outdoor to 5 parts water. Wet & Forget Outdoor Concentrate Fill Garden Sprayer With Water To 2 1/2 cups (20 oz.) 5 cups (40 oz.) Apply Wet & Forget Outdoor to a dry surface in order to penetrate the stain completely. Saturate the surface completely with Wet & Forget Outdoor to remove moss, algae, lichen, mold or mildew stains. For best results, apply Wet & Forget Outdoor on a cool dry day with no chance of rain for four to five hours after application. Morning or evening is best. This will ensure that the surface being treated stays wet for an extended period while Wet & Forget Outdoor begins breaking down the growth.

Vertical surfaces that don't have good exposure to the elements might require some assistance using either a water hose or a light brushing. If an area is particularly bad, apply Wet & Forget again approximately one month after the first application. After the stains have disappeared, use Wet & Forget Outdoor as a maintenance tool. duct cleaning ottawa reviewsRe-apply at the first sign of new growth to keep stains from coming back. asus laptop cooler cleaningNo scrubbing necessary--just spray and forget it!easiest way to clean fake wood blinds Treating Moss: To get rid of moss, completely saturate the moss making sure the Wet & Forget Outdoor soaks through and comes in contact with the surface the moss has attached itself to. best vacuum cleaner good morning america

Over the next few days or weeks, you’ll notice the moss turning brown, curling up and detaching from the surface. The wind and rain will help wash away any remaining moss. Treating Lichen: Lichen is a complex combination of fungus and algae that have learned to live together, forming a unique type of growth. leather cleaner for ugg bootsLichen can cause pitting on outdoor surfaces. spray for cleaning laptop fansThe symbiotic relationship between the fungus and algae makes lichen very hardy and difficult to get rid of. But don't worry--even this tough growth is no match for Wet & Forget Outdoor. Use a garden sprayer to thoroughly saturate the lichen with a solution of 1 part Wet & Forget Outdoor and 5 parts water. Wait 15 minutes, and spray a second time. This will allow the Wet & Forget Outdoor to penetrate the lichen's 2 layers.

It is best to spray lichen on a day that is not too sunny, to prevent rapid evaporation and to allow Wet & Forget more time to work.In this episode of The Handyguys podcast The Handyguys discuss Ipe Deck Maintenance, how to clean it and keep it looking awesome. Brian’s Ipe deck looked great when it was complete. Eighteen months later is was looking a bit dirty. The wood was still in perfect condition, no checking, no splits or splinters, it was just a bit dingy. After a bit of maintenance it looked great again. To keep the deck looking new it will take some annual maintenance. The Handyguys recommend the following maintenance procedure for all decks: Sweep off any leaves As needed thoroughly clean and re-oil the Ipe deck. This may be once a year or every other year depending on how much sun you get. over time the re-oil step will not be needed as often. Ipe deck cleaning solution: One Gallon warm water One Quart bleach (if you do not have mold or algae you can reduce the amount of bleach)