Wood Deck Cleaning PICAsk Questions on Cleaners for Exterior Wood, Decks, Fences, etc.

How to properly clean and prep a deck before applying a wood deck stain.

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    khw · 07/11/2013
    well, I let the wrong solution stand for 15 minutes ( the cleaner versus the brightener).
    BUT it came out lightened and blindingly bright anyway. Beginner's luck, I guess.. plus it was a brand new deck, so not that dirty. Was just too eager to use the product and get to the job..
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    khw · 07/11/2013
    Hi,
    rained mon/into tues early morning.. cleaned 9 month old pressure treated lumber deck with RAD Tuesday.. no sun..deck stayed moist due to previous rain.. applied with cheap sponge mop,lightly scrubbed with deck brush.. let stand 15 minutes..rinsed off thoroughly.. applied RAD brightener. The deck looks fantastic. BUT.. you recommend 48 hours without rain before staining with AC stain.. then at least 12 hours thereafter for stain dry time.
    For some reason we are having a rainy summer here in northern Ohio. It RAINED AGAIN last night around 8 p.m. for a little bit..
    I was going to stain deck on Friday.. NOW with the rain of last night I must stain on Saturday.. and hope the weekend 30 % chance holds off.
    No trees near deck. southern exposure..full sun when there is sun.
    QUESTION: Must I wait 2 days.. i.e. Saturday to stain or can I get away with staining LATE FRIDAY afternoon?
    Thank you
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    The Sealer Store · 04/19/2013
    I light mixture of the Rad cleaner should work to remove dirt and prep the deck. Maybe 2-4 oz. per gallon of water, apply, them lightly agitate with a soft broom. Rinse when done.
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    Mike P · 04/19/2013
    I tried to post this yesterday but it never appeared. Im cleaning a deck that was stained last spring. I dont want to damage or remove the stain so would the RAD cleaner or brightener work best for this type of clean? Thank you!
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    The Sealer Store · 01/31/2013
    A deck cleaner like Restore-A-Deck or Defy Wood Cleaner would help remove dirt and grime.
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    Jeff Smith · 01/31/2013
    I have about 3000 sq ft of wood deck. I painted them last summer with a solid shermwilliams best deck latex paint. (3500.00 worth)I need to know what you have to clean mud, dirt crude ect off. I used bleach. but I know ( it work great) it is hard on my decks and finish.
    thanks for your time
    Jeff
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    The Sealer Store · 12/10/2012
    Is there a previous coating that needs to be removed? Where are you located? What is the total sq. footage of the cedar siding?
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    Mr Matthews · 12/10/2012
    Dear Sir/Madam,
    Please could you advise me on the best product to clean and then preserve my ceder single bungalow I would like the finished colour to be a nice Tanned ceder colour. Could you include how much I will need of each product and the cost of these.
    Many Thanks
    Mr.Matthews
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    The Sealer Store · 11/25/2012
    A good wood deck brightener ([url]http://www.opwdecks.com/wooddeckbrighteners.htm[/url]) should remove the black rust spots.
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    Peter · 11/25/2012
    We cut metal around the deck and after the rain there was thousands of black rust spots on the deck. How can I remove these black spots ? I have tried sand ing but its not working. Please help............
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    The Sealer Store · 08/30/2012
    You can use the Citralic brightener
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    Lizb · 08/30/2012
    I am about to clean and brighten both my old redwood deck and new redwood deck. Is it OK to use Defy Deck Cleaner with Citralic Brightener or would it be better to use the Defy brightener?
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    The Sealer Store · 08/24/2012
    Possibly the brightener may have a reaction. Best to do a test spot first.
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    Lori · 08/24/2012
    I have powder-coated aluminum balusters in my redwood deck railing. Will Restore-a-Deck cleaner or brightener harm them? Thx much.
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    The Sealer Store · 08/06/2012
    I would suggest the Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and brightener kits.
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    AndrewCedarDeck · 08/06/2012
    I have a new cedar deck that is ready to be sealed. I'm planning on TWP 1500 in honeytone.

    I'm confused about which cleaner to use. The deck doesn't have any previous sealer, so I just need something that will help remove any mill glaze (doesn't seem to be any, water soaks in), any grime I've accumulated since it was built about 3 months ago, and some minor water staining from washing and rain.

    Thanks!
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    The Sealer Store · 08/03/2012
    Lori, I am sorry but I do not remember the original post. Most likely if it was a water based stain then I suggested the Defy Extreme. TWP 1500 should work as well. You can get samples to test out if needed.
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    Lori · 08/03/2012
    Hi - I wanted to refer back to the stain you mentioned I might try - it was a waterbased one for a redwood deck railing in San Francisco that had been treated one year ago with a water-based fire retardant product. Now I can't find your posted answer - where did it go? Also - I think I would like to use TWP1500 on both the untreated horizontal part of the deck as well as the fire-retardant (Flamestop II) treated railings. Is that generally a risky move? If so, would I be better off using the water-based stain you recommended for all the surfaces? Thank you very much for the help. Your site is terrific and helps the newbie a lot.
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    The Sealer Store · 08/03/2012
    No they will not.
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    Lori · 08/03/2012
    Will Restore-A-Deck cleaner and brightener harm red bricks?