Cleaning Composite Trex Decks

For larger surfaces, work in small sections to ensure the area stays wet the entire time. Even if you don’t have a power washer, you can still use power washer soap for cleaning. Instead of loading the cleaner into the sprayer, you can apply it with a sponge or mop. Before you can stain a deck, you need to prep and sand the surface. Sweep and wash the deck’s surface to remove all dirt, wood fibers, grease, mold, and mildew. If the surface is dirty, the stain or sealant will not stick. This condition can be decreased greatly with the use of a product call ACL Staticide®.

To maintain the beauty of your Trex® deck, a little care and cleaning goes a long way. All exterior building materials require cleaning and a Trex deck is no different. For early-generation composite products (Trex Accents®, Trex Origins®, Trex Contours®, Trex Profiles® or Trex Brasilia®), we recommend a semi-annual cleaning with a composite deck cleaner. If your deck is one of the high-performance product lines from Trex (Trex Transcend®, Trex Enhance® or Trex Select®), soap-and-water cleaning or a gentle pressure washing will do the trick. Learn how to clean and care for your composite decking by reading the information that applies to your decking product and get ready to enjoy maximum outdoor living with minimal maintenance. Even if they’ve been sealed, wood decks, especially cedar and redwood, eventually begin to dull and take on a weathered, gray appearance. Rusty streaks can also appear around screw heads or along the wood’s grain.

In fact, there are some mistakes that can actually increase the regular care required to maintain a composite deck. Here are a few tips to avoid the extra work and get the most out of your deck. While you may be tempted to wait until your next routine cleaning to remove the food, it should be done immediately or else staining might result. Thankfully, composite decking is easily cleaned with the soap-and-water method or basic power washing. Calcium-chloride ice melts are usually safe for composite decking and our recommended solution. This compound is highly effective at melting ice without damaging the composite surface.

Cleaning Composite And Wood Decking

Removing Mold, Tree Sap And Mildew Stains On Composite Deck Railings

Choosing the correct cleaner can literally make or break your deck. When buying a cleaning product, always check the label and never use anything labeled as a Chlorine Bleach based “deck cleaner”. If the active ingredients include Sodium Hypochlorite, it contains Bleach. Chlorine bleach is very corrosive and will eat into any material it’s applied to. Eventually, it will lead to discoloration of your deck, damage the surface , and can exacerbate any mold/mildew issues that may occur. Avoid this costly mistake by choosing a non-toxic, sodium percarbonate based cleaner.

Pressure Washing Your Composite Decking

Although the surface looks solid, composite decking is actually quite porous. Therefore, it needs an oxygenated cleaner that can reach deep into the material and clean insidethe deck as well as the surface. When purchasing a cleaner, always check the label and NEVER use a Chlorine Bleach based “deck cleaner”. If the active ingredients read – Sodium Hypochlorite, it contains Bleach. Chlorine Bleach is extremely corrosive and will “eat” any material it’s applied to.

• Learn how to clean and care for your composite decking by reading the information that applies to your decking product and get ready to enjoy maximum outdoor living with minimal maintenance.
• See the links on the Corte Clean web site to OSHA, the EPA and Spore-Tech before using chlorine bleach on a POROUS surface like Trex composite decking.
• For early-generation composite products (Trex Accents®, Trex Origins®, Trex Contours®, Trex Profiles® or Trex Brasilia®), we recommend a semi-annual cleaning with a composite deck cleaner.
• To maintain the beauty of your Trex® deck, a little care and cleaning goes a long way.
• All exterior building materials require cleaning and a Trex deck is no different.

Address stains as soon as possible, and make sure your deck continues to maintain adequate drainage to prevent mold and mildew from growing. If this is the first time you have cleaned your deck it’s possible that there are deep set mold stains that the solution didn’t reach. They may rise to the surface at some point and need cleaning again.

Beware of any “waterproofing” deck sealants or chemicals that “encapsulate” the deck. These products can trap moisture insidethe deck causing more issues in the long run. Choosing the right cleaner can literally make or break your deck.

The best way to get rid of mold, tree sap, and mildew stains is to stick to a soap detergent, water, and a soft bristle brush. Most railing stains should come out this way; however if they are still there, try using a vinegar solution. Pressure washers are not recommended for cleaning composite deck railings because they are not as durable as deck boards. According to Trex, it is not recommended to use a pressure washer on an old composite deck railings because it could damage the surface of the railings. Instead of using a pressure washer to clean your railings, use soap and stain removing products.

Like other wood deck varieties, composite decking is quite porous. It's best to use an oxygenated cleaner that will sink deep into the material to clean the lower layers as well as on the surface. Pressure washing is not usually recommended for composite decking. Pressure washing too close or using too much pressure can be ruinous for your deck. Composite decking material is softer than natural wood and therefore can be “etched” more easily. Once the material has been “opened up”, this can lead to a host of other issues including chipping, sun damage, and mold staining of the plastics inside the opening. Once mold has stained these plastics, it can be extremely hard to remove.