This post was updated on August 16, 2024
Hello, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior deck and wood prepping. My wood deck prepping help tips are based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing. See here for more info about me.
I have updated our DeckStainhelp.com site with numerous new reviews and articles on deck cleaning products and how-to tips for 2024. We strive to remain your number one deck stain information source.
Please ask any questions below that you may have in our comment area.
Prepping and Cleaning a Deck
If you own a deck, you know the wood faces exposure to harsh outdoor elements all year long. That includes ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun, rain, ice, dirt, pollen, bird droppings, and much more. However, you might not have properly cleaned yours. Cleaning a deck with a top-quality wood deck cleaner will help loosen dirt, remove any grayish oxidation, and kill mold, mildew, and algae. It’s a must for regular maintenance and in preparation for applying fresh deck stain.
Are You Cleaning Your Deck at Least Once a Year?
Knowing how to clean a wooden deck properly is critical for homeowners. Whatever your climate, I tell people it should be done at least once each year. To get right to it, let’s review the proper deck cleaning process.
Preparing Your Deck for Cleaning
Before cleaning a deck, I always remove obstructions such as furniture, planters, and grills. Next, I’ll sweep the deck or use a leaf blower to thoroughly clear off dirt, leaves, and debris. To avoid accidental damage, I recommend covering gardens or other items with a tarp.
Next, you’ll select your product. Decide if you should use a deck cleaner or a deck stain stripper. Use a deck cleaner if the wood is gray and dirty. If you have an old deck stain that needs to be removed, you should use a deck stain stripper, as the deck cleaner is not aggressive enough to remove stains. Do you need more help on whether you should strip or clean the deck? See my Best Deck Prep. Clean, Strip, or Sand the Deck.
How to Clean Your Wood Deck
What You’ll Need to Bring
Gather the following supplies for the cleaning project:
- Goggles, gloves, and similar personal protective equipment
- 5-gallon (or similar size) mixing bucket
- A pump sprayer
- A stiff scrub brush
- A power washer rated at 3000 psi or lower
- A high-quality wood deck cleaning product. (see my best deck cleaner post)
A front porch partially cleaned and brightened.
5 Steps to a Clean Deck
- Pre-wet the deck surface with a garden hose or power washer on a low-pressure setting.
- Apply the deck cleaner using the pump sprayer. Make sure to mix the cleaning solution in the 5-gallon bucket first and then transfer it to your pump sprayer. In some cases, a powdered cleaner may not dissolve 100%. Take care not to pour undissolved powder into the sprayer, as it may clog it.
- After waiting 10 to 15 minutes for the cleaner to work, thoroughly scrub (agitate) the surface with the brush.
- Pressure wash the deck with the pressure washer in the 1500 to 2400 psi range. Rinse the deck well when done to remove any loose dirt nd wood fibers.
- Apply a wood deck brightener (often called deck neutralizer), which lowers the pH level to neutral and improves the appearance.
Composite Decks: Use a Different Brush
Composite deck board is usually composed of a blend of either polypropylene or polyethylene plastic and wood fibers. Although I’ve found that composite decking is durable and long lasting, the material is often susceptible to scratches from firm or abrasive brushes; therefore, I will use a brush with soft bristles. Remember to choose a deck cleaner that is appropriate for your composite material.
Can I Clean My Deck Without a Pressure Washer?
Yes! Although a pressure washer helps to speed up the process, a garden hose with a good nozzle can also rinse your deck reasonably well. Doing it this way will require more scrubbing while using your wood cleaner.
My Deck Cleaning Tips for Success!
- Ensure the deck is clear of all furniture and grills before starting.
- First, decide if you should use a deck cleaner or a deck stain stripper. Use a deck cleaner if the wood is gray and dirty. If you have an old deck stain that needs to be removed, you should use a deck stain stripper, as the deck cleaner is not aggressive enough to remove stains. Do you need more help on whether you should strip or clean the deck? See my Best Deck Prep. Clean, Strip, or Sand the Deck.
- Pre-wet the deck before applying the deck cleaner. Take precautions to wet all vegetation and the surrounding house. Most deck cleaners will not harm plants as long as you pre-wet and rinse off any residual cleaner that comes in contact with them.
- Wait about 5-15 minutes for the cleaner to activate. On hot days, mist the deck with water to prevent the cleaner from drying.
- Using a stiff scrub brush, agitate the deck until the wood comes clean. A pressure washer at 2400 psi or less will speed up this process.
- If any stubborn areas persist, then repeat the process.
- After thoroughly cleaning the deck, rinse the house, deck, plants, etc., to remove all the loosened grime.
- Using a Wood Deck Brightener will boost the wood’s appearance. The brightener neutralizes the deck cleaner and “brightens” the wood to a more natural state.
- Let the wood dry for at least 24-48 hours before applying a deck stain or sealer.
My Top 4 Deck Cleaner Reviews
See this link for my in-depth article and deck cleaner reviews.
My #1 Best Deck Cleaner | My #2 Best Deck Cleaner | My #3 Best Deck Cleaner | My Honorable Mention |
 |  |  |  |
From: $64.99 *Ships Free | From: $64.99 *Ships Free | From: $35.99 *Brightener Additional | From: $49.99 *Ships Free |
Best Deck Cleaner 2024 Video
Watch my deck cleaning video!
Best way to prep IPE that is in very good shape? (just graying).
Clean and brighten the wood is best:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-cleaner-system-review/
Thanks, Scott! Next weekend project!
Send pics when done!
Before, during, and after.
Looks great! Ipe does require annual upkeep, especially in full sun. What stain brand did you use? You should be able to clean and recoat as needed.
I used Defy products for both cleaning and staining.
thanks.Is a deck cleaner the same as a “Restore” or “Remove” deck product?
It’s strange, because the brighter I used even left white film on a new unweathered board. It did not revive it.
No, a proper cleaner is not the same as a “remove” product. You are misunderstanding what a brightener does. You cannot use it by itself.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-is-a-deck-brightener-and-why-use-one/
I used a brighter on my thermal wood deck and now it’s turned whitish, rough and did not remove all the algae. What do you recommend to bring it back to natural tone and do you seal it with oil?
You have to use a deck cleaner first and pressure wash. Brighener after:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-cleaner-system-review/
In ur pro opinion would u go with defy extreme or rad stain
Both are very good but we like the RAD better.
Thank u. I just ordered the package I have a gallon of defy and it does seem good but i think im going to take ur advice. I think i will use the defy on my pool deck and the rad on my 65 x8 front porch deck that is covered. Thanks again
I’ve got a 20 year old, glulam beam that will sanded down to bare wood, (I plan to stain with TWP 100 – Rustic). Do I need to apply a brightener prior to staining? Or can I stain the beam as-is?
What grit paper did you sand with?
80 grit to remove the old stain (unfortunately Behr), then I lightly smoothed it out with 150 grit.
Once you go more than 80 it smooths the wood to smooth for stain. You should clean and brighten it to open up the pores.
Also, I forgot to mention we are in Portland Oregon. Our weather is starting to turn, so we are wanting to stain the exposed beam before the rain comes.
Advanced Deck over with texture redwood color…… seams to peal in large sections after a few years. Is it common that it wrinkles and peals like this?
Yes, it is a very poor product: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deckover-review-updated/
I’m looking to restain (same color) an existing solid deck that hasn’t been stained in 4 years. Am I understanding correctly that I can apply Restore-a-deck cleaner and then put my solid stain over that or do you recommend always sanding solid stain off before reapplying a new/same color coat? Thanks in advance.
No need to sand it all off but do make sure you sand or remove any stain that is loose and not intact.
Thank you for your prompt response. Do you have a recommendation for best solid stain for a SE Michigan deck. Current application is ArborCoat.
Try the Restore A Deck Solid Stains: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-solid-color-stain-review/
I have a 2-yr old pine, pressure treated deck that has yet to be stained. Before applying stain (Armstrong Clark on your recommendation) I plan to prep the wood with Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener (Also on your recommendation). It is the prep that I have questions about. First, there are a few boards with some furring/fuzzies – Should I sand them off with 80 grit? If I do sand them, do I then have to sand all of the deck to get even staining? If I use a scrub pad instead of sandpaper to remove this furring, do I similarly need to go over the whole deck with the scrub pad to get even staining? Should furring removal be done before cleaning and brightening? Lastly, what bristle stiffness do you recommend for the deck brush used with Restore-A-Deck Cleaner, and can such a brush effectively remove furring? Also, can too stiff of a deck brush create furring?
Thank you –
Prep first and then see here to remove any furring. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/wood-fuzzies-furring-on-deck/
Furring will happen if your deck has sat for two years without protection.
I have a old deck that has been stained with a Floods solid stain for the second time probably 9 years ago and looks good other than a couple small spots that are peeling on the railing. Should I just use Restore a Deck cleaner and power wash?
I wanted to refresh the whole deck as I added a new pressure treated wood cap on the railing and wanted to know which product would be best to use TWP 100 or TWP 1500 for this application?
If neither product is a good choice want would you recommend?
Thank you
You cannot apply a semi-transparent stain like TWP over a solid stain. You would have to remove the solid stain fully first and that would require power sanding. Your other option is to clean and then recoat with another solid stain.
I cleaned and brightened deck, but haven’t been able to stain because of weather. Is a 2 week gap before staining ok?
It should be. Make sure it is free of debris, etc.
Planning to strip then brighten my deck using the restore a deck products then stain with the TWP–all of which I just purchased from you. Question: I am heading out of town–is it OK to strip and brighten, then let the deck sit for 1 week before I stain?
Yes.
Hey guys – I am in the process of prepping my deck for stain and had a couple quick questions. I put brand new deck flood boards on the deck 2.5 months ago and left the spindles and handrails alone since they were in pretty good shape.
I am planning on using the Benjamin Moore prep product since I am not able to get the RAD kit in time. Benjamin Moore has a Clean product and Restore product. Based off the attached pictures do you think I could get away with the Clean product instead of Restore and then a brightener on the entire deck before staining?
Also, if I have to sand off any fuzzies should this be completed after the clean stage but before the brightener?
Thanks guys and appreciate all the excellent info on this site!
Have you read this about new wood? https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
After the proper wait as the stain brand suggests, you will need to clean and then brighten the deck. If you need to sand fuzzies, do that after cleaning.
Thanks guys – should I use a deck brush to clean all surfaces including the new deck boards after spraying the cleaning product on – or can I just pressure wash off the cleaning product?
Use a deck cleaner and then pressure wash off.
If I’m going to stain a deck and paint the railing, when should I clean the deck? I’ve already sanded the deck. I bought Behr All-In-One wood cleaner and I’m ready to start cleaning.
The Behr prep is not very good. use a cleaner and brightener system like the Restore A Deck kits: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-cleaner-system-review/
As for one to stain, is the wood new or older?
Can I sand algae away from cedar decking instead of using a liquid product?
That does not work very well.
Hi,
I am going to use the RAD Stripper, cleaner and then brightened as you suggested before staining my older deck. But I need to have a few random boards replaced here and there. I know I have to wait to stain them until they dry out. But can I still do the stripping, cleaning and brightening now ? And then in the fall possibly stain? Or do I need to do it all at the same time?
I was hoping I could do it now so I could at least maybe stain the railing. That will take a long time.
Thank you!!
Do it all at the same time in the Fall.
Should I sand before or after cleaning/brightening the deck? Also, is it fine to clean/brighten the day after it rains?
Sand first. You can prep after rain.
Great to know. I also just noticed a splinter in one of my boards. Would I be able to stain over it? If not, what would you recommend I do to fix it? Thanks for your help!
Sand the splinter.
Sounds good. Should I break it off before sanding?
Sure.
What about the holes where the deck was nailed . Nail hole 1/4in was Nader top of board
Not sure what you are asking?
Will a cleaner or brightener affect colored masonry block or stucco
No, it will not.
it has been raining for 2 days so deck is soaked. once it stops raining how long do I need to wait to use RAD cleaner?
A few hours.
Hi,
I used the cleaner and brightener on 3year old deck then stained railing and half the large deck with twp. I was unable to finish due to rain on the weekends for the last month. I believe I need to reapply cleaner and brightener before I finish staining unstained sections. My question is if it is okay if the cleaner and brightener get over sprayed onto the new stained sections or do I need to make sure the cleaner brightener only get applied on the old deck. I don’t want the cleaner/brightener to affect/discolor the new stained sections.
Thanks,
Just lightly wash with water and then brighten the wood again. It will not harm the stain.
I am going to redo my deck with pressure treated wood. My contractor says it has to be power washed before having it stained. Is this a common practice? Thank you.
Yes. Has to be prepped.
Thank you.
I pressure washed the new wood on our deck, but the soap dried on it before I could remove it. When it rains you can see small bubbles. How can I remove the dried on soap.
What soap did you use?
krud kutter
The only thing you can do is to keep rinsing until no more soap suds are coming up.
We have a covered porch with entrance stairs. When we bought this house 3 years ago, it was all untreated and grey. Using the great information on this site, I prepped and cleaned the entire surface, and used the Sherwin Williams Deckscapes semi-transparent latex stain on all the horizontal surfaces. Last year (year 2), I again cleaned the surfaces and did another coat to darken it a bit. The covered portion of the porch still looks great, no cracking or peeling.
But in my quest for The better idea, I used the crushed nuts mixed in for the stairs last year. As the picture shows, that process apparently made for sandpaper in the walking areas. Peeling down to the bare wood. No more traction attempts this year!
My question is this. I’m ready to redo the stairs. Do I clean/powerwash/sand to remove all prior stain?
Clean first and then sand to remove.
Thanks, I am armed and ready!
I stained my deck 2 yrs ago and I forgot what I used to clean it before hand. I’m pretty sure I used TSP but I’m not sure if I mixed bleach with it or what the mix ratio of either was. Some websites advise not to use bleach., not sure why.
Bleach and TSP are not good for decks. Use a true “deck cleaner” that contains sodium percarbonate.
I’m pretty sure I used it last time. On other websites it says to use TSP and powdered oxygen bleach(Oxiclean) What is the reason why they aren’t good for decks? My deck is made of pressure treated wood. Does it harm the wood?
TSP is just a soap, not a deep cleaner. See this about bleach: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/using-bleach-to-clean-decks/
Is there a reason why the TSP & Bleach solution is not good for decks? I’m pretty sure I used it the last time and it worked pretty good. Other websites say to use 1 1/2 cups of TSP and 1 cup of powdered oxygen bleach(Oxiclean) Does it harm the wood?
I just tried cleaning my less than a year old deck with Olympic Deck Cleaner, suffice it to say that it didn’t do much if anything other then bring it something green in my deck boards that wSnt there before I applied it. What is it or what dis I do wrong?
The green is inside the wood and will not come out. It is part of the treatment of PTP wood.
We have a 20 yo cedar deck that was never stained or treated in any way. I plan on using Restore A Deck Cleaner/Brightener then staining with Restore A Deck Wood Stain or TWP 100 Series. However, all the cedar railings, balusters, and stairs were painted about 10 years ago. The paint is peeled in many places, is ugly, and needs to be removed, do you have any products/advice for how to go about this?
Thanks!
You will have to power sand off the paint to remove. Once 100% removed. clean and brighten for final prep.
Thanks!
Apologies if you’ve answered this elsewhere, but would it be beneficial to sand the deck surface as well? It’s been pressure washed before, I don’t notice too much raised grain. Or will this retard the stain penetration?
No need to sand the floor if it does not have a paint. It can hinder stain penetration into the wood.
I live in Virginia and need to apply the second coat of Defy Extreme on my new PT deck (first coat was applied a year ago). I am trying to get the deck cleaned and brightened before the pollen starts up but it is still getting down to 30 degrees at night (and then trying to catch a few days without rain). I read from previous posts that I can clean and brighten it and it is ok to wait up to 2 weeks to apply the stain. When pollen starts it coats everything every day, if I wait 2 days for the deck to dry and pollen is on it what do I do? Should I just wait until after pollen season is over and hot weather has arrived?
Pollen issues arise more with oil-based stains, not water-based like Defy. I would not worry about it much when using the Defy. If you do wait a couple of weeks between prep and staining, lightly wash or rinse the deck down two days before stating if the pollen has fallen on the wood.
Thanks for all the information here. I’ve read through a ton and haven’t been able to form a great plan.
I just moved in before winter, and I’m not sure what the previous owner had done to the deck. The deck is only 2 years old and has gone through 2 Minnesota winters. Now that the snow has cleared, we’re ready to re finish the deck. It was gray and dirty, so I power washed it. After it dried the sheen was very silverish grey so I applied a brightener and power washed again. I’m planning on trying a different brand, but please give me any advice you can before we stain.
Much appreciated!
Use the Restore A Deck Cleaner/Brightener Kits for the prep. Stain with Restore A Deck Wood Stain or TWP 100 Series.
I will be staining a new pressure-treated deck, after prepping with Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener. There are two types of stains that I will need to remove prior to staining with a semi-transparent stain – the rubber tire marks from the pressure washer and residue from black walnuts that have fallen on the deck. I seriously doubt the cleaner and brightener will remove these stains – I hope I’m wrong. Does anyone have experience removing these stains?
The RAD prep should remove most but if not, watered down bleach will remove organic stains (black walnuts). Try 1 part bleach to 4 parts water. Let sit and rinse well after 10 minutes.
Thank you! I’ll give that a try.
I also would like to remove the lumber yard stamp from the decking and I’ve accumulated some grease stains from my grill. I would imagine a last resort for any of these stains (especially grease) would be light sanding. But, would that possibly cause an uneven appearance after staining with a semi-transparent stain? The decking has now “aged” 5 months.
You will have to sand the stamps: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-remove-the-ink-stamps-from-new-decking/
You will need to spot sand them, let weather again, then do the prep.
Grease will not come out if deep in the wood grain.
Do I need to use cleaner on a new deck where the wood has never been stained?
Yes. See this about new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
We used the Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener and the deck looks much cleaner. However, now we can see dark streaks next to many of the nails. Is there any way to remove these streaks? Will the stain cover over the discoloration? We never noticed it until we cleaned but now these streaks are very visible! Thanks for your advice.
That is rust from your nails. You have bad nails or screws there. Try the brightener again, it should remove it.