Step By Step Process Of Removing Stain From A Wood Deck
Stain refers to a finish that is applied to the wood with which the wood doesn't change its color rather it enhances the natural look of the wood. The majority of the stains come in natural wood colors but there are also stain colors that can fit in with any design. Similar to the paints, heavier stains form a protective cover on the wood furniture that protects the wood from weather damage. The heavier stain is mostly used on wooden decks but with age, it turns unattractive and needs to be removed by following the below-given steps:
Step 1: Apply Deck Stripper
First, the user needs to apply a coat of deck stripper over the entire deck stain. Deck stripper is used to remove the old finish and prepare the deck for cleaning. The choice of deck stripper is totally dependent upon the finish type. There are two main types of deck strippers: oil-based & water-based strippers. The oil-based deck stripper is used to remove oil-based stain and the water-based stripper is used to remove the water-based stain. Go through the label instructions carefully for stripper usage.
Step 2: Pressure Wash The Deck
The next step will be to pressure wash the entire deck in order to remove debris & dirt from it. Alternate to the pressure washer, the users can clean their deck using any deck cleaner that contains chlorine bleach which helps in removing the mildew from the deck. Also, deck cleaners consist of oxalic acid that is very much effective in removing iron stains or tannin from the deck. The deck cleaner needs to be applied with a pump sprayer and the user can scrub the deck with a brush having non-metallic and stiff bristles.
Rinse The Deck & Let It Dry
After that, the user needs to rinse the deck thoroughly with the help of a garden hose in order to get every element off the deck. Finally, allow the deck to dry completely for a few days before applying a new stain to it according to user preference.
Top Homemade Cleaners For Your Outdoor Deck
It is highly recommended for homeowners to clean their decks at least twice a year, ideally in the spring and fall. The safest & most environmental way in order to clean a deck is not to clean it at all, completely putting an end to the chance of toxic chemicals being originated into the environment and water. There are numerous homemade cleaners that can be used to clean your outdoor decks & some of the top-rated homemade cleaners are described below:
Baking Soda, Vinegar, And Dish Soap
These are the best & natural cleaners that can be easily used on the outdoor deck in order to handle mildew and algae problems. Here are some of the recipe:
- Box Of Baking Soda
- 1 Cup Of Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons (T) Of Mild Dishwashing Liquid/Soap
- 1 Gallon Of Water
Pour baking soda on the stain-affected areas of the deck. Make a solution by mixing the vinegar, soap, and water in a bucket before applying to one section of the decking that has been affected by mildew, and then clean & scrub using a brush as long as you see results. You may need to repeat this method many times for a thorough job.
Bleach
Bleach is not considered the most environmental choice, however, chlorine is one of the best options when it comes to handling standing water, mold, and mildew, if in case you have a swimming pool, you get it. Go through the directions and labels, wear gloves as well as masks, and perform the task at a place having proper ventilation. Various types of wood including cedar can get affected by stains or fade away by using bleach on them. Therefore, you need to research your particular wood before applying the bleach.
Pressure Or Power Washer
Pressure or power washer is another homemade cleaner that can be best when it comes to getting rid of the stain from the outdoor deck. If in case you don't have a pressure washer available at your place, then you can simply get it on rent from a local hardware store, usually by the day. You will get an instruction manual along with a pressure washer & make sure to go through the instruction manual carefully, & then start at the middle of the deck and direct the spray to both ends, reaching all the areas. This should be done before applying a cleaner or brightener. Top Pressure Or Power Washer brands include Sun Joe, Karcher, AR Blue Clean & Simpson.
Spray-and-Forget-it Products
These products come with various names and have numerous ingredients, however, the purpose is to a certain extent the same, i.e, to permit you to clean your deck without making much effort. Some of the products appear or claim to get rid of stubborn stains like moss, mildew, and mold. Some claim to be approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and might be composed of environment-friendly ingredients that probably will not be harmful to the environment. Some of these products include:
- Wet And Forget
- Spray And Forget
- Moldex By EnviroCare
- Bayer 2-in-1 Moss & Algae Killer Ready-to-Spray
Tri-Sodium Phosphate Or TSP
TSP, or trisodium phosphate, is regarded as a powder-based cleaner that is considered the best at killing mold and mildew. However, TSP is not for the most part an environmental choice and has all kinds of safety measures on the back of its box. If the deck has not been cleaned for a long time and algae is noticeable, it may have to be used from time to time, with care and caution. It's better to maintain the deck at regular intervals, including sweeping, instead of leaving it so that it has to be dealt with in a certain way with something strong like trisodium phosphate.