Welcome to the deck cleaning mini-series! I'll guide you step by step through cleaning your decking and restoring it to its former glory. To join me in reviving your wooden decking, you'll need the following:
As many are, I live in a rented house and for the last two years, we've simply jet-washed our decking once a year in spring. This year, though, the algae were particularly bad, and I've opted to fully clean and treat it.
I started by brushing off any loose material and giving it a quick jet wash, then applied the
Driveway, Decking and Patio cleaner with a stiff broom. It was really easy to apply, and I found that giving it a light scrub until it 'frothed' a bit gave the best finish. Following the instructions, I left it for 24 hours before hosing it down. The results were fairly impressive, and I was pleased that most of the green has now fully gone.
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Don't have a jet washer? I also tried a section without the jet wash, gave it a good scrub, and applied the cleaner. I'd say that with a further scrub it was just as effective as the jet wash, but needs considerably more elbow grease. I have quite a large piece of decking (roughly 6m x 5m), so the jet washer is essential for me, but if it were smaller, I'd happily not use a jet washer at all. However, I'd say a hose & stiff brush are essential for a good finish!
Top tip: To make the Driveway, Decking and Patio Cleaner go as far as it can, don't slosh it directly onto the decking. Pop some in a bucket and dip your broom in to apply it to the decking before leaving it to dry.
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Next, I'll use the wood reviver to bring our decking back to a beautiful golden brown. I'm super excited to see the results!