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Once you have purchased and installed your new pier or dock, it is important to make sure you take proper care of the decking to prevent deterioration and warping. There are several different tools and solutions on the market and it is important to choose the right one for your decking to ensure that you do not damage it. Each method has its own pros and cons, so it is important to understand how each method works before you decide on a method to clean your decking.

Pressure washers are one common tool used to clean decking. Pressure washers come in a variety of sizes and most pressure washers offer the user a variety of tips that concentrate the pressure of the spray to different levels. As the pressurized stream of fluid hits the surface it is mechanically agitated and cleans the surface. A pressure washer cleans decking a lot faster than if you were cleaning it by hand, and can do a much more thorough job. The bad side effect though is that because of the intense pressure, the surface of the wood is often destroyed. Especially if your decking is a light colored wood, the pressurized spray can quickly erode the surface. Even if the surface has not been eroded, if the spray is too strong, the decking may be fuzzy or rough after it dries. If you choose to use a pressure washer to clean your deck, then it is important to make sure that the pressure is adjusted correctly so that you do not damage the decking.

Oxygen bleach is another option to cleaning decking. Oxygen bleach is different from the common household chlorine bleach. For those who are environmentally conscious, it is a much greener option than a pressure washer. Oxygen bleach is most commonly available in powder form. Hydrogen peroxide and soda ash are the basic components of oxygen bleach. Mixing the oxygen bleach with water makes an excellent solution for cleaning your decking. When you use the oxygen bleach solution, the oxygen bubbles do the work that the pressure washer would do. Oxygen ions break apart dirt, algae and mildew molecules that may have been trapped in the decking as the solution seeps into the wood. Another benefit of this solution is that it is non-toxic, so your plants, pets and children will not be harmed from the cleaning.

If you choose oxygen bleach for the cleaning, make sure that you choose good quality oxygen bleach. Cheaper versions of oxygen bleach usually do not contain a high percentage of the active ingredients hydrogen peroxide and soda ash, or these ingredients may contain impurities that lower the effectiveness of the bleach. The best grade of oxygen bleach contains raw materials that are food grade organic chemicals.

Whichever method you choose to clean your decking, it is important to clean it regularly so that damage from mildew and dirt does not harm your investment. Perhaps your deck is small enough that it is reasonable to clean it by hand, but if you have a very large deck, a power washer, with the right tip, may very well be the best way to go.