Spring Clean Garden Decking

Spring is a great time to clean your decking.  As the days get longer and warmer, you’re certain to be thinking about those hot summer days ahead when you’re outside enjoying your garden.  Your decking is an integral part of your outside living space and is the ideal place to enjoy a relaxing glass of wine, a meal with friends or just to chill out and take in some sunshine.  When it comes to spring cleaning your decking, irrespective of what your deck is made of, it’s important to get rid of the dirt, dust and grime that’s gathered over the winter.

Here’s our Top Tips for spring-cleaning your garden decking:

Make sure you clear the whole decking area before you start. Clearing the deck entirely will allow you to work methodically and efficiently.  Take particular care when you are clearing your deck of heavy items because dragging weighty plants or heavy furniture is likely to cause damage which is both difficult to repair and will spoil the look of your deck.

Brush your deck thoroughly. Once you have the decking area completely cleared, using a stiff brush remove as much dirt and dust as you can, making sure you get right into the corners and edges of the deck.  It’s particularly important that you brush away any leaves and build up of moss that might have developed over the winter months.

Power wash your decking. Power washing your decking will get rid of a whole lot of the dirt and grime that has taken hold on your deck, irrespective of whether your deck is made of wood, plastic or composite material.  That said, it’s important not to put your power washer on too high a setting as this could cause damage.

Clean the last dirt away. You can clean away the last of the dirt on your deck, either using a specific decking cleaner or using soda crystals.  More and more people are choosing soda crystals over commercial detergents these days because they are kind to the environment as well as being a cheap option.  If you decide to use soda crystals to clean your deck, what you should do is dampen the surface of the deck and then sprinkle over the soda crystals.  At that point, you need to leave them to dry for a few hours and then brush off the dry crystals using a stiff brush.  If you decide to go the dedicated deck cleaner route, you’ll be pretty much spoilt for choice because there are so many options on the market.  That said, it’s important to choose a product that is specifically intended for your type of decking.  If you have any doubt about which option would be best for you, your decking supplier or another reputable decking supplier should be able to help.

If you are planning to refinish your deck, now is the time to do it, while it’s nice and clean.  Also, once you have spring-cleaned your deck, it’s time to think about tackling your plant pots and garden furniture, because there’s no point having a nice clean deck and dirty furnishings and pots!  Once again, your power washer and some soda crystals will prove indispensible.  Finally, once your deck and furnishings are looking sparkly and new, it’s time to sit back and reap the rewards of your efforts…enjoy!