I am having trouble cleaning my very own deck. By the looks of things, I am thinking that this deck must be older than god himself (figuratively speaking of course) tho I have only lived here two years. I've tried bleach, purple power, oxygen bleach, special "wood cleaners" from various places, mean green, simple green, and other things. There are green spots that look like algae and black spots that I have no idea what they are (kind of like the black spots you find around nails, but without any nails around.
I have gotten to the point of using high pressure and HOT water (I know, big no no, but its the only thing that has even remotely touched this deck). Now the deck is mostly clean but there is still the green and black spots. I am kind of at a loss of what to do now? I dont ordinarily clean wood because I havent had enough experience yet and I really dont want to experiment on customers wood surfaces.
I am kinda having trouble with the fence too. I can get it pretty clean with just pressure, all the grey comes off and the dirt/mud and algae but it doesnt seem to be real bright as if it was new wood. It does get its color back. However it turns grey again within a few months and on my front fence its even turned green with algae again.
What can I do about that? If I can get the wood brightened up, I can seal it and that should stop the grey (right?) but what about stopping the algae from coming back so quickly and how do you get it brightened up to begin with?
P.S. My uncle is wanting his deck cleaned and while I dont plan to charge him, I'd still like to do a good job. I am unsure of the condition of his deck, I know that my dad cleaned it with his toy power washer within the last couple of years and he is by no means an expert so I know there are spots on it where he stopped and started without feathering in and out.
I have gotten to the point of using high pressure and HOT water (I know, big no no, but its the only thing that has even remotely touched this deck). Now the deck is mostly clean but there is still the green and black spots. I am kind of at a loss of what to do now? I dont ordinarily clean wood because I havent had enough experience yet and I really dont want to experiment on customers wood surfaces.
I am kinda having trouble with the fence too. I can get it pretty clean with just pressure, all the grey comes off and the dirt/mud and algae but it doesnt seem to be real bright as if it was new wood. It does get its color back. However it turns grey again within a few months and on my front fence its even turned green with algae again.
What can I do about that? If I can get the wood brightened up, I can seal it and that should stop the grey (right?) but what about stopping the algae from coming back so quickly and how do you get it brightened up to begin with?
P.S. My uncle is wanting his deck cleaned and while I dont plan to charge him, I'd still like to do a good job. I am unsure of the condition of his deck, I know that my dad cleaned it with his toy power washer within the last couple of years and he is by no means an expert so I know there are spots on it where he stopped and started without feathering in and out.