Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Deck Cleaning

Deck Cleaning Before And After
Deck Cleaning Before and After
Deck cleaning does not have to be an impossible task. The great thing about a simple deck cleaning is that with just a little bit of preventive maintenance, it will keep the deck surface looking fresh and new all of the time and it helps extend the life of the patio for many years to come. Deck cleaning and sealing helps retard mold and mildew from growing on the surface of your patio and creating a very slick surface. Regular deck cleaning decreases the build up of dirt, which acts like sandpaper on the finish, decreasing the length of time between applications of stain. Deck cleaning and sealing  is very effective maintenance program for protecting your wood deck which is very expensive to replace. Periodic deck cleaning of an otherwise worn out looking wood deck can do a lot to bring it back to almost new. Some of the benefits of cleaning your deck are:

  1. Prolongs the life if your deck or patio
  2. A deck cleaning will keep the surface of your deck free of mildew which makes is very slippery to walk on when the deck gets wet.
  3. Keeps the deck or patio looking like new.
  4. Deck cleaning is relatively easy to do yourself or pretty cheap to hire a professional to clean the deck or patio for you.

 Patio cleaning is not the hardest prosess if you have the proper tools and cleaning chemical. If you are going to give it a try yourself, make sure you take the time to get the basic understanding of how to use a pressure washer and what type of deck cleaning chemicals to use to clean it. I know that Home Depot has some deck washing products and you can always rent a pressure washer from them to. Also to get an understanding of how to treat the deck after the initial washing. You have to be very careful though because deck cleaning and staining is something that you may be better off hiring a professional.The fact is, cleaning a deck the wrong way can will cause more damage to the surface of the patio that is sometime irreversable leading to having to replace boards and that can become an expensive mistake.

         Deck Cleaning Tips

Deck or patio cleaning is an involved procedure. Hiring a  deck cleaning and sealing professional can be nerve racking and at times, will mislead you. You should always investigate some information about the company and the deck cleaning chemicals they will be using on your deck. You can always check the BBB or Angies List. When you do schedule the deck cleaning project, schedule the work at the cooler hours of the morning or late afternoon or even on a cooler day, as the chemicals may dry before it gets a chance to do its job, when it is applied to a blazing hot patio. Most professional deck cleaning companies that do patio cleaning have some sort of patio maintenance program so that your wood patio will stay looking good all the time and lasts for many years for the life of your patio. Remember that deck cleaning will save your deck in the long run.
House Washing
House Mildew
I do have A Cool Pressure Washing Video that gives you a basic idea of using a pressure washer. If you are a home owner, having your own little pressure washer is great to have around. You can wash sidewalks, fences, pool patios almost anything. Pressure Washers Direct. I found, is the cheapest for the quality pressure washers. They even help you decide what type you will need for what you intend to use it for. They have both electric and gas pressure washing units. Both are good for cleaning your deck or patio.
If you get really enthusiastic, you might even try to clean vinyl siding which I also have an article on. But I also recomend leaving that to a profesional pressure cleaning company. You do not need a lot of pressure to clean a house, its more of water volume to rinse thoroughly.  As with the patio washing, there are a lot of variables, if not more to house washing. If you do decide to give it a go, I strongly recommend reading the House Washing Tips I give. I have been in the pressure washing field for over 25 years and I have washed literally thousands of houses and if done right, your house and patio will look brand new and you will be the envy of your neighbors! I have gotten more work just from the neighbors seeing me cleaning and loved the finished results! But as with patio washing and house washing, Do your deck cleaning homework before you give it a try. Making mistakes such as streaking or fading the color of your siding using the wrong chemical can totally ruin your house.
If you are a home owner and are interested in a House washing Massachusetts or House Washing CT , I do give free estimates by filling out  the free estimate form on the side of my post. or you can E-Mail me with any question on deck cleaning or patio cleaning or house washing and would be glad to help you out with any advice you may need on deck cleaning.