Power Wash FAQs: Can You Pressure Wash Composite Decking?
If you’re like many of us, you specifically chose to live in this area because you love the Florida lifestyle. You spend a lot of time outside, soaking in the sun and warm temperatures. Your deck makes it possible to eat, read, drink, socialize, and unwind outside.
As you look around, though, you may see your deck is no longer in pristine condition. While mold, mildew, dirt, and grime can cause dirty tile floors, they can also ruin your deck- and your desire to be out there. All is not lost, you can simply clean it. The question is, can you pressure wash composite decking? We’ll go over the basics of taking care of your deck in this article, so keep on reading!
Table of Contents
- How to Take Care of Your Composite Deck
- 5 Steps to Clean Your Deck
- Can You Pressure Wash Composite Decking?
- What to Avoid when Washing Your Deck
How to Take Care of Your Composite Deck
All exterior decking requires cleaning. It is true that a composite deck is less maintenance and easier to clean than a traditional “real” wood deck, but you still need to make sure it is kept clean and free from unwanted stains and other grime.
Washing your composite decking is not difficult at all. A standard bottle of dish soap or similar cleaning solutions, a nylon broom or soft bristled brush, and a bucket of warm water is all you need to clean off your deck.
5 Steps to Clean Your Deck
Once you have you warm soapy water and soft bristle brush, follow these five simple steps to clean your deck or porch floor:
#1 Sweep the floor with the broom to remove dirt and debris.
#2 Rinse the floor with warm water, like from a garden hose.
#3 Prepare a solution of soap and water, similar to how you wash dishes in a sink.
#4 Start cleaning your deck! Scrub the whole deck with soapy water.
#5 Rinse away the remainder of the soap and any leftover dirt.
Be sure you’re using enough pressure to get into the grooves and clear away difficult dirt and grime.
Can You Pressure Wash Composite Decking?
Can you pressure wash composite decking? You can! If you can’t or don’t want to clean your deck surface of dirt and debris yourself, you can hire a team of professionals to use a power washer on your deck.
In fact, we don’t recommend you rent a power washer and attempt to do it yourself. If done incorrectly, it can cause more issues than it solves. Washing too close to any type of deck boards or or using too much pressure on the wrong pressure washer setting can damage the deck.
What to Avoid when Washing Your Deck
Cleaning your composite deck is pretty simple, but there are a few things you’ll want to make sure you avoid. As mentioned above, if you want it to be pressure washed, we highly recommend you hire a professional instead of do it yourself. This will reduce the chances of damaging the decking materials.
Another common mistake is forgetting the gaps. Dirt and debris can build up over time collecting moisture providing the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. Mold loves Florida just as much as we do!
For any additional questions or to book a pressure washing service, contact Florida Tile & Grout. We do tile and grout cleaning, tile repair, marble restoration, and more!