Wet the wood with your garden hose and apply a liberal coating of the cleaner using a pump sprayer.
Best way to clean deck before staining.
Regularly sweep off debris.
Before you apply stain make sure the surface is clean no dust dirt wood fibers or grease dry and free from mildew.
Use the water test to check your deck every few months to ensure the sealer is still repelling water.
Left that way they can become old and weathered before their time.
Let the cleaner sit for 10 to 15 min.
Before scrubbing with a stiff bristle broom.
If you have a brand new deck made of treated lumber as opposed to cedar or redwood wait at least a few weeks before sealing it for the first time.
Cleaning helps your stain to find a better finish and less stain encrusted crud you have to clean up later.
For a more natural but less effective deck cleaning solution mix one cup of white vinegar with one gallon of warm water.
The necessity of cleaning before staining.
A new wood deck requires minimal preparation while old or damaged wood will require additional steps to ensure the best results when applying wood stain.
Protect your nearby plants when using this solution and rinse it off when done.
When a surface is not clean stains and other finishes have trouble sticking and may end up peeling.
Cleaning the deck also gives you the opportunity to check the wood for loose nails or rough spots that could cause tripping or splinters.
Then rinse the entire deck and let it dry.
The best way to stain a deck is by having a nice clean surface on which to apply the new stain.
It is best to clean the deck on a warm day in the early morning before the sun gets hot enough to evaporate your deck cleaner.
Thoroughly sweep the deck to remove all leaves and other debris.
Experiment with a small area to determine which is best.
This guide will walk you through the steps for how to prep a deck for stain and explain why cleaning a deck before staining is important.
Preparing to wash this section looks at deck cleaning solutions that begin with an inspection and preparation for a wash.
Then wash the deck using a power washer to scrub the surface clean.
This is the best homemade wood deck cleaner to use if your deck suffers from oily stains dirt and grime.
It doesn t matter whether your deck is brand new or fully fresh or older and damaged you really should clean your deck before staining on it.