This post was updated on April 25, 2023
30 Seconds Outdoor Deck Cleaner Review
30 Seconds Deck Cleaner Review 2023
30 Seconds outdoor cleaner cleans algae, mold, and mildew from anything outdoors. 30 Seconds Outdoor Deck Cleaner can be used on a variety of surfaces; wood decks, concrete driveways, sidewalks, stucco, vinyl siding, brick walls, plastic outdoor furniture, you name it. If it’s outdoors and dirty from humidity and wet weather, 30 Seconds can clean it all. Simply spray on and hose off. It’s clean when you want it clean.
Note: We used the 30 Second Cleaner for prepping a wood deck in our test results.
30 Seconds Deck Cleaner Rating (1-10)
Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 5
– The 30 Seconds Outdoor Deck Cleaner did a poor job of cleaning and removing the graying. The cleaner removed mildew and mold, but it does nothing to remove old deteriorated coatings and oxidation/graying of the wood. It lightened the color of the wood slightly. On inspection of the contents, it is basically bleach with soap additives.
Cost Per Square Foot: 7
– Cheap for a liquid outdoor deck and mildew cleaner but since it does not work very well, we could not give it a better rating here.
Ease of Application: 9
– The 30 Seconds Outdoor Deck Cleaner applies easily with a pump sprayer. No mixing is needed. Just fill the sprayer and apply. Consistency hasn’t any issues with the clogging of the sprayer.
Final Appearance of Cleaning: 6
– We were not impressed with the overall cleaning, just bleached out the wood somewhat.
Overall Score for 30 Seconds Outdoor Deck Cleaner: 6.75
– 30 Seconds Outdoor Deck Cleaner is a poor way to prep your wood or deck for a stain. Basically, is is just bleach with some soap in it. Bleach is bad for exterior wood as it damages the lignin or “glue” that holds the wood’s cellular structure together. Bleach is also bad for the surrounding areas and to use without proper equipment and or protection.
Product Information:
Where To Buy: Home Depot, Lowes
Product Type: Deck Cleaner and Mold/Mildew Remover
Available Sizes: 1 Gallon and Ready to use Spray Bottles
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coverage Per Gallon: 100-200 sq. ft
Application Tools: Pump Sprayer and Hose
Manufacturer: 30 Second Outdoor Deck Cleaner
Test Deck Stats:
Deck Wood Type: Western Red Cedar
Deck Square Footage: 600
The Condition of Deck: Heavily grayed with mold/mildew.
How Much Product Used: 1 Gallon Retails for $20.99 per gallon.
*All products tested and results are from our experience. We offer no guarantee of similar results. Take into consideration that results may differ due to different wood types, exposure to UV radiation, and natural weathering.
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As an article and comment contributor to the site, Scott has been around the pressure washing industry since attending college. In 1993 he started his first company called Oakland Pressure Wash specializing in exterior pressure washing and deck staining. That company evolved into OPW L.L.C. shortly thereafter concentrating more on exterior wood and deck restoration. Scott and his Deck Cleaning Michigan company have restored over 10,000 decks in the Metro Detroit area since the early years. He has become an authority in the deck restoration industry and has contributed to numerous wood restoration forums and informative sites.
All the products he suggests through this site are sold through online sites and in retail stores, allowing the consumer to choose their own means of purchase. Scott’s eCommerce sites do sell many top brands he endorses and if you appreciate any of the help he has offered then feel free to purchase from one of them.
i used the 30 seconds outdoor cleaner and it did not say to put gloves on and now my four fingers feel like they are burning do i have to go to the emergency for this
We would go.
It does not show any corrosive warning label says biodegradable does not recommend wearing gloves yet I now have chemical burns on my hands and in a lot of pain . Will be contacting government oversight to report lack of adequate safety labels .
I followed the directions exactly as written. Results were awful. Try another product. If I could return an empty container back to the store I’d be on my way right now. Don’t waste your money.
I followed the directions exactly as written. Results were awful. Try another product. If I could return an empty container back to the store I’d be on my way right now. Don’t waste your money.
I am a professional Painting Contractor, If I were rating this product on ability to clean surface alone it would be 4 stars, how ever I must say that it advertises it WILL NOT KILL PLANTS on multiple spots on label, FYI THAT IS A LIE. I have photos, killed about $1500 Worth of plants at a clients house, I am extremely unhappy and believe if they say it will not kill plants that they should reimburse my clients. Its not that it does that which annoys me, its that they say it doesn’t but it did, otherwise I would have covered plants.
I used this straight out of the bottle. Big mistake. I am on day 12 of what looks like a sunburn. On day 2 I had tingling under my skin on top of my hands under cold water through day 10. I also couldn’t use hot water. Day 12 and it hurts to bend my knuckles which are white but the sensitivity to cold is just about gone and I can shower with hot water again. Shouldn’t I be better by now? I’ve kept them covered when outside to avoid sun exposure.
I tried this on my wood deck at home to test it before recommending purchasing at the property management company I work for. I cannot reccomend this product because of the lackluster results I had using it. The bottle says spray on and hose off, but only in the fine print does it advise that you will need to scrub vigorously on algae stained wood decks.
Does it damage brick?
Probably not.
I thought this product worked fairly well however I used it on concrete that has been resurfaced and sealed. I believe it ate through the seal and bleached some of the stain that is part of the resurfaced concrete. Not real happy about it but nothing i can do now.
I tried this product this weekend. When first using I thought it was great. However when I woke up in morning to a white fence I was pissed. Any help to get this white residue? My fence is cedar with allot of gray. What do you recommend? Thanks
Pictures?
to prevent damage to plants with 30 seconds, spray plants with water first and do not use 30 seconds in the scorching sun. As with anything, a little common sense goes a long way in making a project successful.
Yes, but the 30-second cleaner is still bad for the environment and a poor cleaner in general.
This product is garbage. Waster of money and time and deck looks bad after using it.
We agree.