A Quick Guide to Power Cleaning Decks
Decks are a cherished part of a home. It makes sense to properly clean them. We’ve found that power 
washing is the best way to do so. We’ve also found that many homeowners run into problems when they try to power wash their deck without being educated beforehand lasix australia. This quick guide to power cleaning decks will give you all the information you need to know to properly clean your deck.
Choosing a Pressure Washer
Make no mistake about it: chemical deck brighteners will not actually clean your deck. They might make it look nice and shiny, but the real cleaning work is left up to pressure washing. Choosing a pressure washer is simple if you know what to look for. Pressure ratings are important. Pressure ratings should be determined by the type of wood your deck is made of. Softer woods call for pressure ratings around 500-600 psi. Harder woods call for ratings around 1,200 psi. When cleaning a wood deck, you should never use a pressure rating greater than 1,500 psi. Doing so can ruin your deck.
Choosing a Tip
Expert Cincinnati exterior cleaning companies recommend a 40-60-degree fan or rotating tip. These types of tips allow you to tailor the pressure and speed to meet the surfaces you’re cleaning. They provide a huge advantage over set tips, which should never be used to clean wood.
Using Proper Technique
Using proper pressure washing technique is an important key to not damaging or ruining your deck. Always start from the house and work your way outward using the following sequence:
- Set the pressure to 600 psi and test it in a rarely seen area
- Adjust the pressure to one that cleans without damaging the deck’s surface
- Hold the tip approximately 12 inches off the deck’s surface and squeeze the trigger until the speed you want is reached
- Maintain a consistent distance between the tip and the surface while using a sweeping motion to clean the deck
Make note that you should always be working with the wood’s grain by spraying lengthwise.
Fixing Raised Wood Fibers
There’s no getting around the fact that power washing will cause some wood fibers to be raised. Even the best Cincinnati exterior cleaning companies admit to raising wood fibers on each and every job. The key is learning how to fix them. Spot sanding can be done on minimally damaged areas to smooth things out. For other areas, it’s recommended that the entire wood deck be sanded and then refinished. A 60-80 grit sandpaper should be used on the deck’s surface and a 100 grit sandpaper should be used on handrails if you have them.
Don’t become a homeowner horror story. Use this guide and its recommendations to have your deck looking clean without being damaged. Choose a proper pressure washer and tip, use proper technique, and fix raised wood fibers to make sure your deck looks as good as ever.
If you decide that you want to have a professional do it without all of the renting machines, buying chemicals, and the general mess that power spraying makes, give the guys at cincinnatipowerwashing.com a call.
