Slippery decks can be fun to navigate, but if you're in a hurry, not so stable on your feet or just unaware, they can cause some injuries. So how do we look after them?
If your deck is south facing (In New Zealand) or in a shaded spot, it can gather mould and mildew easily due to the warm, damp climate we have here. Add to that, you may of water-blasted your deck and it's got a fury look to it, which mould loves to propagate in. So how to tackle it all?
Firstly, a good clean with a deck scrubbing brush, non-bleach based cleaning substance and water to help tackle the mould spores. Dampen the deck wood if hot and spray weatherboards and plants with water before you use a cleaner to give them some protection layer (ideally remove all plants). The Brush will get into the gaps and help the cleaner penetrate the wood. For a good-non-bio substance, use 'white vinegar' at a 1:3 parts water, or slightly more if you have years of thick mould. Avoid bleach based cleaning products because they unfortunately damage the woods lignin that holds the cellular structural integrity of your wood together (if you want your wood to last that is) and bleach can contribute to further mould growth, so avoid it at all costs on your deck.
Then wash it off with a wide nozzle on your water blaster ( not to close to the wood as to avoid damaging the wood fibres) or powerful hose. Rinse well!
Now do this every 6 months on those shaded, non sunny areas of your deck, or contact deckcare
Happy cleaning!
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