How Do I Care for My New CrossTimbers Deck?
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| To clean | Use |
Mud, Dirt, General Cleaning |
Any general purpose deck cleaner or washing detergent (Behr #63, Olympic Deck Wash) |
Mold and Mildew |
Any Bleach Based Deck Cleaner |
Metal or Rust |
Any Phosphoric Acid Based Cleaner |
Tannin Staining |
Oxalic-acid Based Cleaner |
Cooking Grease |
Professional Strength Degreaser on Contact |
To Clean Mold, Mildew, and Water Stains:
- Use a bleach based cleaner (see recommended products above)
- Bleach based cleaners may lighten the color of the boards. It is recommended to clean the entire deck surface.
- Sweep the deck off using a stiff bristle broom to remove all debris from the surface.
- It is not necessary to wet the boards down before applying the cleaner.
- Fill a pump sprayer with the cleaning solution. For light stains a 50/50 mix of water and cleaner could be used. For severe stains full strength may be necessary.
- Apply the solution evenly across the deck surface. Use a mop or rag to get in difficult areas.
- Use a stiff bristle broom to work the cleaner into the surface of the deck; you may notice a slight foaming of the cleaning solution.
- Allow the solution to sit for 30 minutes, then rinse the deck off with a hose (do not use a power washer).
- More than one application may be necessary if stains have set for an extended time.
To Clean Metal or Rust:
- Use a phosphoric acid based cleaner (see recommended products above).
- Sweep the deck off to remove all debris from the surface.
- It is not necessary to wet the boards down before applying the cleaner.
- For small areas fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mix of water and cleaning solution.
- Spray the solution on the affected area and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Rinse the cleaner off using a hose.
- For large areas fill a pump sprayer with a 50/50 mix of water and cleaning solution. For severe stains full strength may be needed.
- Apply the solution evenly across the deck surface. Use a mop or rag to get in difficult areas.
- Let the cleaner sit for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the cleaner off using a hose.
- More than one application may be necessary if stains have set for an extended time.
To Clean Tannin Stains:See above instructions for Metal/Rust, but use an Oxalic-Acid Based Cleaner
To Clean Grease:
- Soak up excess grease immediately.
- Apply degreaser over residual stain.
- Clean off degreaser with light bleach and soapy water solution.
- Repeat steps above as necessary.