Deck Cleaner Reviews

Restore-A-Deck Cleaner System Review

by Deck Stain Help 04/04/2017

Restore-A-Deck Cleaner Kit

Restore-A-Deck Cleaner Kit Update 2018

Please read this article and post any questions you have in the comment are below. Our newly enhanced website now offers the ability to upload and post pictures of your exterior wood or deck. This will help us determine the proper prep for your deck.

Below you will see a YouTube Video Review of the Restore A Deck Prepping kit. this is from an actual consumer and is very informative and helpful.

Restore-A-Deck Cleaner Review Below

Restore-A-Deck Cleaner Review Restore-A-Deck is the only product on the market that offers both a Step 1 Deck Cleaner and a Step 2 Deck Brightener in the same kit. Restore-A-Deck comes in a powdered concentrated formula. Each 2 lb container makes 5 liquid gallons. Simply pour each into a five-gallon container and add water to dissolve the powder concentrate.

Restore A Deck Cleaner and Brightener Scores (1-10)

Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 9

– The Restore-A-Deck Step 1 Deck Cleaner did very well at removing general dirt and grime. The deep cleaning formula made it easy to break down the gray wood cells. All mold was removed as well. The Step 1 Deck Cleaner did not remove some rust stains from the furniture but the Step 2 Brightener did.

Cost Per Square Foot: 10

– The best on the market today. The cost to clean and brighten an average 600 square foot deck is less than $.07 a foot. Since Restore-A-Deck comes in a powder we liked that you only needed to mix as much as you needed. Very little waste.

462 comments

Gemini Restore-A-Deck Kit Review

by Deck Stain Help 03/13/2012

Gemini Restore-A-Deck Kit

Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener system is a powerful “eco-friendly” two-part restoration system. 100% Biodegradable Concentrated powder formula. Prep wood surfaces for re-coating with a wood or deck stain and restores weathered gray wood to natural color.

Note: We tested Gemini’s Restore-A-Deck Kit on a heavily gray and dirty fence that was neglected for 8 years.

Gemini Restore-A-Deck Kit Scores (1-10)

Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 9

– Gemini’s Restore-A-Deck Kit worked very efficiently to remove the graying from the fence. Even though the fence was severely neglected, the cleaner and brightener restored the wood to 90% of its original look.

Cost Per Square Foot: 10

– Excellent! Gemini’s Restore-A-Deck Kit is a powdered concentrate that is hard to beat when it comes to cost. The kit can clean and brighten up to 1000 sq. feet. You would need 3-5 times as much if purchasing a liquid packaged cleaner or brightener.

28 comments

Defy Wood Deck Cleaner Review

by Deck Stain Help 01/30/2012

Defy Wood Deck Cleaner

Defy Wood Deck Cleaner is a safe alternative to chlorine bleach-based cleaners. Defy Wood Cleaner is highly effective at removing general dirt, grime, and UV graying while restoring the wood’s natural color tones. Environmentally safe, powdered, oxygen-based concentrate that makes 5 liquid gallons per container.

Defy Wood Cleaner should be used with the Defy Wood Brightener for maximum preparation.

Defy Wood Deck Cleaner Scores (1-10)

Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 8

– The Defy Wood Cleaner did an excellent job of prepping the wood by removing all of the dirt and mold. The test deck had not been maintained for 6 years so the graying of the wood cells was extensive. The Defy Cleaner did a better than average job at softening these grayed wood cells so that a stiff scrubbing removed them from the deck surface.

Cost Per Square Foot: 10

– How can you complain about spending only $20 to clean a 750 square foot deck? That is $.03 a square foot. A bargain compared to liquid packaged cleaners.

39 comments

EFC-38 Wood Deck Cleaner Review

by Deck Stain Help 02/17/2012

EFC38 Review

EFC-38’s unique formulation provides the strength necessary to clean gray wood, mold, mildew and heavy accumulations of grime. EFC-38 contains sodium percarbonate and additional surfactants that boost the overall effectiveness. EFC-38 was designed to clean and prep all exterior wood. EFC-38 is safe to use and makes an excellent tool for wood preparation prior to applying a wood coating.

EFC-38 Wood Deck Cleaner Scores (1-10)

Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 9

– EFC-38 is very effective at removing graying wood cells and algae. The wood surface looked 90% or better when done with the cleaning. All algae and mold were removed from the fence.

Cost Per Square Foot: 10

– The cost to clean the 1000 square foot fence was less than $.04 a foot. The powdered formula makes 5 gallons of liquid wood cleaner for 2 pounds of EFC-38

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Deck Cleaning Tips

by Deck Stain Help 02/13/2012

Pressure Washing A Deck

Wood restoration can be one of the most misunderstood services and one of the toughest for do-it-yourself homeowners. One thing to keep in mind is that the main reason a new deck sealer will fail prematurely is that the wood was not cleaned properly beforehand.

When wood becomes weathered, it needs to be cleaned prior to sealing. Cleaning a wooden deck can be a difficult task for a homeowner that is uneducated about the process.

Using a pressure washer can be an effective method. You must also use the proper cleaners to get the dirt and grime out that is deep down in the wood. Most people make the mistake of using too much water pressure when using a pressure washer. Wood is actually pretty soft and can damage easily from excessive water pressure.

23 comments

Bleach vs. Oxygenated Deck Cleaners

by Deck Stain Help 03/08/2018

Update for 2018: Bleach vs. Oxygenated Deck Cleaners

Welcome to Deckstainhelp.com, where deck staining experts come to share their knowledge and insights. Water-based stains have come a long way as far as quality and longevity go in the last 10+ years. In this article, we highlight the difference between bleach wood cleaners and oxygenated wood cleaners. As always, comments are encouraged.

Wood deck cleaners are used to clean and prepare exterior wood prior to staining or sealing. Wood cleaners can contain different ingredients and come in different concentrations. The goal of a deck cleaner is to remove natural pollutants like dirt, grime, graying, fungal growth, and sometimes an old failing stain. Most deck cleaners contain caustic detergents that help break up contaminants making it easier to clean by scrubbing or pressure washing. This caustic nature will cause the wood to be alkaline, which is not ideal for accepting stain. Using a deck brightener after cleaning will neutralize the high pH and prepare the deck for stain.

Oxygenated Deck Cleaners

Oxygenated deck cleaners have become increasingly popular in the past decade. These types of deck cleaners contain Sodium Percarbonate an active ingredient that is EPA registered for removing mold and mildew. Oxygenated deck cleaners also include additional surfactants that help boost the total cleaning effectiveness. These powdered concentrated cleaners are mixed with water and applied to the wood with a pump sprayer then scrubbed or pressure washed off. Oxygenated deck cleaners are eco-friendly, easy to use, and extremely effective.

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BEHR Premium 2-In-1 Deck Cleaner Review

by Deck Stain Help 02/06/2012

BEHR Premium 2-In-1 Deck Cleaner

BEHR Premium 2-In-1 Deck Cleaner is a cleaner specifically formulated to clean and brighten wood surfaces as well as remove mildew stains. This unique product will also remove tannin bleed, red clay stains, rust stains on wood and masonry, and clean vinyl/aluminum siding, composite decks and more!

BEHR Premium 2-In-1 Deck Cleaner Scores (1-10)

Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 5

– The BEHR Premium 2-In-1 Deck Cleaner did a poor job of cleaning and removing the graying. The cleaner did not remove any of the mold or mildew from the wood. It did lighten the color of the wood slightly. On inspection of the contents, it was determined that this product is more of a wood brightener than a wood cleaner. Contains oxalic acid and a soap additive.

Cost Per Square Foot: 7

– Cheap for a liquid deck cleaner but since it does not work very well we could not give it a high rating here.

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Wolman™ DeckBrite™ Wood Cleaner Review

by Deck Stain Help 02/23/2012

Wolman DeckBrite Wood Deck Cleaner Review Wolman™ DeckBrite Wood Cleaner is an oxygen powered wood cleaner used to clean and restore decks and other weathered wood. When mixed with water, DeckBrite quickly and safely restores dirty, weathered-gray, mildew and algae-stained wood to its bright, natural, like-new look. DeckBrite is used to prep for reapplication of wood stains as well.

Wolman™ DeckBrite™ Wood Deck Cleaner Scores (1-10)

Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 8

– Wolman™ DeckBrite cleans and removes grayed wood very effectively. We prefer oxygenated based wood cleaners and the DeckBrite performs as we would expect.

Cost Per Square Foot: 10

– Excellent! Powdered deck cleaners are hard to beat when it comes to cost.

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Restore A Deck Cleaner and Brightener Kit Review 2014

by Deck Stain Help 03/16/2014

Restore A Deck Kits

Important Note: This is our 2nd Review of the Restore A Deck Kits. See Here for First Review: Restore A Deck Cleaner and Brightener Kit

Restore A Deck cleaner is a specifically designed two-part system that is best used to clean and prep a wood deck prior to staining it. The Restore A Deck cleaner system consists of a wood cleaner that will remove dirt, grime, mold, mildew, and grayed wood fibers. Step 2 is a wood brightener that corrects the pH of the wood and brightens/lightens it up prior to applying a wood stain or sealer.

Restore-A-Deck comes in a powdered concentrated formula. Each 2 lb container makes 5 liquid gallons and can clean and brighten up to 1000 sq. feet. Simply pour each into a five-gallon container and add water to dissolve the powder concentrate.

The Restore a Deck Step 1 Cleaner contains an EPA registered ingredient that helps in the removal of mold, mildew, and algae.

Restore A Deck Cleaner and Brightener Scores (1-10)

Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 9

The Restore-A-Deck Step 1 Deck Cleaner works wonders at removing dirt and graying. The active ingredient creates a slight foaming on the wood once applied. Once the graying and dirt has softened, we find it best to use a pressure washer at a low setting of 1500 PSI to “lightly wash” off the dirty slime.

Cost Per Square Foot: 10

Powdered deck prepping products are the way to go. Cheaper and more effective than bleach-based solutions. We have found that the Restore A Deck Kits are the best on the market today when it comes to price. The cost to clean and brighten an average 800 square foot deck is less than $.07 a foot.

11 comments

Messmers Wood Deck Cleaner Review

by Deck Stain Help 02/04/2012

Messmers Part A Cleaner

Messmer’s Wood and Deck Cleaner can be used to prepare old, weathered wood for prior to applying a stain, or as part of regular wood care maintenance to keep your deck, fence, log home, or other wood surfaces looking great.

The Messmers Part A Cleaner is a concentrated wood and deck cleaner. Mix one 16oz container into 5 gallons of water.

Messmers Wood Deck Cleaner Scores (1-10)

Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 8

– Messmers Wood Deck Cleaner did a pretty decent job at removing graying and dirt. The cleaner restored the IPE deck back to a natural blond color.

Cost Per Square Foot: 8

– The Messmers Deck Cleaner comes in a 16 oz container. This is half as much as similar powdered concentrates that come in 32 oz containers. For example, you would need two Messmers ($13.99 x 2 =$27.98) Deck Cleaners to one Defy Wood Cleaner ($19.99). This still makes the Messmers a great buy compared to liquid deck cleaners.

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