How To Remove Mold From Deck In 3 Simple Steps

How To Clean A Composite Deck, Remove Mildew, Mold, Stains

You shouldn't have to clean and scrub for countless hours on such expensive, "low maintenance" products. This company lies and makes false claims about its products. My 19 year old pressure treated small decks are so easy comparatively! I just pressure wash them and apply a coat of stain annually. First, I have to clean the mold off three times a summer. The first time, I clean in March or April with TSP, Clorox, and Dawn dish soap. The wonderful Corti-Clean cleaner can NOT be used under 60 degrees, so we can't use that till our second cleaning when it warms up in June.

It's Not Always The Same Mold, Same Mold With Composite Decking

If a pressure washer has been used, we recommend at least two applications of cleaner to ensure that the roots of the mold are thoroughly neutralized. A pressure washer can also, if used improperly, damage the deck surface. We recommend exercising extreme caution when using a pressure washer for deck cleaning. Remember to keep the tip at least 12 inches from the deck surface to prevent damage.

Contact Newtechwood To Learn More About Our Composite Deck Materials

THEN, I seal this deck with an expensive product called PSC Protector, . Do not use any cleaning products that aren't approved for Trex, especially wood cleaners. Solvents and corrosive chemicals can stain and damage your deck permanently, and you could also void your warranty if you use unapproved chemicals. Before you make a decision, you should consider the serious flaws of Trex decking.

• If you use bleach, mix at a ratio of 1 part bleach to 5 parts water.
• To remove mold from a deck, clean the surface with a deck cleaner containing sodium percarbonate or a mix of bleach and water.
• Jomax mixed with bleach has been great for painted rails and other surfaces, but it was the least effective on timbertech mildew.
• I have also used the Timbertech cleaning product mixed with bleach, and it was more effective, but not as effective as PSC cleaner mixed with bleach.
• We are not fans of bleach on wood but sometimes this is best to help get rid of the mold.
• If it was surface mildew, it would be coming off without having to clean and soak it repeatedly.

Dirt, Grime, Tannin, And Mildew Stains

I hate bleach because it kills plants and vegetation and it’s terrible to work with. It will kill the mildew spores, but doesn’t necessarily remove them from the surface of the wood. Instead, I recommend using DEFY Composite Deck Cleaner.

If your deck is constructed of older composite decking (installed prior to mid-2000), then you probably know what a big problem unsightly mildew growth has become. Power-washing will only worsen the mold problem. The pressure of the power washer actually pushes the mold further down into the pores of the material. We DO NOT recommend power washing the decking while mold or mildew is present.

How To Clean A Composite Decking

A safer alternative to chlorine bleach for mold cleaning is oxygen bleach. This homemade deck cleaner utilizes the strength of oxygen bleach, Borax, and soap to remove mold. The capping material on these products is not composed of a wood plastic composite. An all bleach solution, yes, is horrible for composite decks.

How To Clean Mildew And Mold Off Composite Decking

I installed 500 sf of Trex Accents Saddle composite decking for a client in April of 2013. The client cleaned the deck with the Trex recommended deck cleaner and it stayed clean for about a week. Mold problems began one year later and has spread ever since. Cleaned with soap and water, pressured washed and used a composite deck cleaner all with negative results.