Paying for the materials and building an entire deck in your backyard can be a very expensive project. But, if you are here, reading this article, you probably already know that. You have already made those payments and you have your own deck on your property. But, were you aware of the unexpected expenses of maintenance and care? It seems like a lot of people had no idea that there could be such major issues with simple composition decking. Naturally, I am talking about the formation of mold and cleaning it, and there is no better way to do that if you have the right tools, as the ones you have here: https://www.sanderscore.com/blog/best-sanders-deck-refinishing/
Cleaning mold is not an easy task, especially when you consider just how fast it can spread to different parts of the decking. You have to deal with this as quickly as possible. However, if you call for professional services, their pricing might be too much for you which means you have to tackle this problem by yourself.
I do not think there is a reason why this should worry. If you stay informed and if you know what to do, you will be able to resolve this issue in no time. To help you stay informed, I am writing this article which I believe will be a huge help.
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Remove everything from the deck
One of the first things you will need to do before you start cleaning is to remove everything from the deck. All your decorations, chairs, tables, and anything else you can find. It is important to open up the space to allow you to clean more efficiently and to find all those black spots that allude to mold. You will need to be very intricate because you can easily skip a few spots which could lead to a serious problem in the future.
You are also doing this to protect your furniture and your decorations from any damage. The cleaning solution you are going to use might be dangerous for other types of materials.
Sweep the floor
After your first step is done, now it is time to jump into the first part of the cleaning process. Get yourself a broom with a strong brush and start brushing away all the leaves, dirt, and everything else you might find on the floor. Make sure you press hard enough to remove the dirt that is stuck into the composition.
After a few minutes of sweeping, you will notice that the floor will seem much cleaner than it used to be. But, you are still a long way from being done.
Rinse it with water
You could always skip this step because you will be rinsing and washing with water later either way, but I think it still a crucial part of the process. This is also a quick and easy step because all you have to do is just take out the hose and start spraying the composite. Start from the middle and push the water towards the end of the deck. This will ensure that all of the dirt and debris will fall over the sides.
Apply the “soap”
Now, is finally time to use the soap that will fight against the mold. This is probably the most important step of the process because you cannot fight mold with just water and sweeping. There is a need for some type of chemical, a detergent that will ensure that all those black spots will simply go away.
There are several different types of cleaning solutions for this type of problem. You have the option of going to a hardware store and buying a chemical that will directly attack mold. You also have the option of making your own solution by following a popular formula. Usually, the formula is mixing vinegar with warm water. It sounds simple, but it is very effective, especially if you use baking soda too.
Personally, I would never buy one of those detergents because I simply do not know what is in them. The ingredients in those detergents could damage the composite. Although, if you check this, you can see that there are better composite options that will be a lot more durable against mold and chemicals.
However, I still prefer going with my own vinegar formula.
Vinegar might be as effective as those prebuilt detergents. It also has zero chance of damaging the material of the decking.
Start scrubbing
Once you have mixed the formula and made the solution, it is time to start cleaning. For this, you will need a couple of things t. A bucket filled with your formula, a handheld brush, a long-handled brush, and hose.
Spread a bit of the solution onto the floor below you and use the brush with a longer handle. There is no need to get down on your knees and start scrubbing with the handheld one unless it is necessary. Only use it for those black spots that seem impossible to remove. For those, you need to apply a lot more pressure.
Do not forget to pour some baking soda after applying the vinegar solution.
Some people claim that you should leave the formula on the floor for at least five or 10 minutes and then start scrubbing. Although, I am not sure that will make a difference.
After some serious scrubbing and after making sure that all those mold spots are removed, it is time to start washing with the hose again. Push away all that soap with the water. After you have thoroughly cleaned everything with the hose, you should check again whether there are any traces of mold. If not, there is one extra step you could take.
Pressure washing
As I mentioned previously, this is an extra step that could easily skip. If you do not have a pressure washer or if you do not feel like doing this, you do not have to. Your job is done. But, if you want that extra bit of shine and cleanliness, I suggest that you turn on your pressure washer and wash the entire deck one more time.
After going through these five steps of cleaning, I assure you that you will have gotten rid of all the mold and that your deck will seem pristine.
