During the winter seasons, your decking receives minimal use, and usually, minimal maintenance. But after months of neglect, you may be looking to give your decking the TLC it deserves.
Here we outline how you can clean your composite decking, with ease, following four simple steps.
The good news is that composite decking doesn’t require much elbow grease when it comes to cleaning. Usually, a simple wash down will help bring it back to its original glory but there are some tips to help you prepare your decking so it’s ready to be used again.
Our guide will detail the steps you need to follow and the tools you will require to restore your composite decking:
Usually, your decking will only require a light cleaning, and if that’s the case then you won’t need a shedload of tools and cleaning items. If it’s a simple clean your decking requires, all you will need is a:
Soft-bristled brush
Washing up liquid/soap solution
Hosepipe
Bucket
Sponge
If the wet and snowy weather has taken its toll over the past few months and your composite decking requires a deeper cleaning, then some additional tools and solutions may help. These include:
Jet washer
Once you’ve got all your tools at hand, it’s time to clear your decking. Make sure all your garden furniture, plants and accessories are removed from the decking. You don’t want to clean around the items, as this can leave uneven marks.
Now that your decking is clear, a simple sweep of the floor with a garden brush will help to remove any debris or dust that, if left before getting wet, could leave mud residue behind.
If it’s a general clean your composite decking requires, then a slightly less rigorous routine is needed. With a bucket of warm, soapy water at hand (you can use either soap or washing up liquid with warm water), apply the solution to the surface of the boards and clean with a soft-bristled brush.
For a deeper clean, you may require a stronger substance: our Pavetuf Composite Cleaner is specifically designed for the removal of built-up surface dirt and is perfect for deeper cleans. The solution is biodegradable and is a non-acidic, non-caustic formula that will clean dirty composite decking with ease.
To speed up the process, you can use a pressure washer to clean your composite decking, however, it’s recommended that you use a jet wash with no greater than 3100 PSI to clean the surface of your deck. After applying the composite cleaner to the decking, have the jet wash on a fan setting and hold 30-45cm from the surface for the best results.
Regardless of which cleaning method you choose, always clean along the length of the boards to prevent any accumulation of debris that can interfere with water drainage.
For stubborn stains, such as oil, dirt and grease marks, we would recommend that you treat the affected area within the first seven days, as it makes it easier to lift the mark from your decking.
You can rid your decking of the stain by using a sponge and rubbing the mark until it’s cleared. Alternatively, you can use your jet washer and hover over the areas that need more attention.
While the intensity of the stain may ease during a general clean, there are tools and cleaning solutions that will help to alleviate the blemish and make your decking look as good as new. Next, we’ll take a look at some of the cleaning solutions you can use to clean and maintain your composite decking:
To give your composite decking the thorough clean it deserves, a fast-acting high-performance product like Pavetuf Composite Cleaner can be used to provide a powerful and effective clean. The cleaner is a fast-acting, water-based cleaner designed especially for use with composite products, including composite deck boards.
Piranha deck boards are resistant to the damaging effects of both mould and mildew growth, but this type of growth can occur on almost every outdoor surface and may collect on the surface of the boards.
To remove mould and mildew from your composite decking, a general routine clean will help avoid excessive build-up. But a high-strength, fast-acting solution like Pavetuf Green-Off Cleaner can be used if there is a build-up of organic growth.
We recommend cleaning your composite decking every 3-6 months, to keep it maintained to a high standard.
Although Piranha Composite Products are low maintenance, they are still susceptible to the elements and will require cleaning from time to time, to keep them looking their best.
Talasey offers a wide range of Pavetuf maintenance and cleaning products, including a specially designed Composite Cleaner which is suitable for use on all Piranha composite products.
You can read full aftercare and cleaning advice in our Installation Guides, which can be found here.
If you’re looking to install composite decking in your garden, we’re here to help you create your beautiful decking design. We stock a range of composite decking products to suit all preferences. If you’re on the lookout for a professional to install your new composite deck, you can find an installer using our ‘find an installer’ page.
For further inspiration for your landscaping project, don’t forget to check out our ‘Be Inspired’ page which showcases a range of captivating decking, cladding and fencing designs.
