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To Power Wash or Not? The Best Way to Clean Your Wood Deck in Northern Virginia.

Deck cleaning can be a daunting task; many homeowners are unsure of the best way to accomplish this often time-consuming task and then simply avoid doing it altogether. Many home improvement programs on television show a homeowner completing a deck washing project with no problems-and quickly too. However, is this real life or just a fantasy on television? Probably just a made-for-TV idealistic vision that rarely holds true, unfortunately.

Unless you are a trained professional in deck washing, you may want to think again about dragging out the power washer and going to town cleaning your wood deck. Many times, high-pressure streams of water can erode the soft, light colored wood found between the darker bands of wood grain in lumber. When the water breaks down and ultimately washes away the soft wood, the remains are splintery and sharp, sometimes leading to cuts and gashes.

Never use chlorine bleach for deck cleaning, even though it may be found in commercial deck cleaning products. Typically listed as sodium hypochlorite, the chlorine bleach does just that - bleaches out the wood, demolishes the natural glue - lignin - that holds the wood fibers together, kills any surrounding landscaping and usually corrodes the metal fasteners and any components that bind your deck together.

Try instead products that utilize oxygen bleach. This is a product that is mixed with water and releases non-toxic oxygen ions that kill mildew and algae, while removing surface dirt, grime and stains. The oxygen bleach is not harmful to you, your family, your pets or your precious landscaping you work so hard to maintain each year.

The foaming action of the oxygen bleach can be applied liberally, and then is simply scrubbed away with a brush or push broom. Rinse the cleaner and dirt away with your garden hose and your deck cleaning project is done.

For more information on deck cleaning, deck washing, deck staining or deck sealing, contact the experts at Deck Doctor. The Deck Doctor performs deck washing and deck sealing operations guaranteed for three years throughout all of Northern Virginia, including the communities of Aldie, VA, Burke, VA, Centreville, VA, Oakton, VA, Reston, VA, Springfield, VA and throughout all of the Washington DC metro area.