This post was updated on April 4, 2025
Hi, I am Scott Paul, an exterior wood restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in stripping and cleaning wood and deck stains. My tips are based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing. See here for more info about me.
Deck Stain Stripping or Deck Cleaning?
Those familiar with the deck staining process know how important it is to properly prep your deck before staining for beautiful results. This article discusses why deck stain stripping can be easier than deck cleaning. I always appreciate your input, so feel free to comment below with pictures of your deck stain projects.
My Pro tip: See here if you need to remove a Difficult to Remove Deck or Wood Stain.
Pressure Washing a Deck Tips
Deck Stripping vs Deck Cleaning Process
The difference between deck cleaning and deck stain stripping is simple. You wash the wood with deck cleaning to remove dirt, grime, mildew, and graying. With deck stripping, the same contaminants are removed, but you also remove any old remnants of deck stain. In many cases, deck stain stripping is better because you remove old deck stains and other contaminants like dirt and graying.
My Pro Tip: Stripping a deck is no harder than cleaning a deck! It involves the same steps, but a different product is used to fully remove the old coating.
Deck after stripper and brightener
Deck Stripper vs Deck Cleaner Ingredients
Another difference between the two techniques is the chemical used.
- A Deck Cleaner typically uses Sodium Percarbonate or Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach).
- A Deck Stain Stripper uses Sodium Hydroxide, which removes old deck stain coatings more aggressively.
With deck cleaning, a wood cleaner helps loosen dirt and gray wood fibers before washing with a scrub brush or pressure washer. With deck stain stripping, a stripping agent softens the most transparent and semi-transparent deck stains so they are washed away along with dirt, graying, grime, etc. This makes the case that deck stripping is better because it goes a step further. In some instances, old stain remnants may not be visible on the surface, but the new stain could still properly keep the wood pores from penetrating. Removing all contaminants, including old faded stains, is the key to a long-lasting finish and a more uniform appearance.
Brighten the Deck When Done
In both instances, a wood deck brightener should be used following a deck clean or stripping product. The cleaning and stripping products are caustic and raise the wood’s pH level, making it appear very dark. Once the wood is cleaned, applying a wood brightener will make the wood more acidic, resulting in better stain penetration and lightening the wood back up, increasing its natural beauty.
My Opinion on Deck Stripping vs Cleaning
It is widely agreed upon that deck stain stripping is better and easier than deck cleaning because the deck stripping chemicals do a better job cleaning down to the bare wood. Although wood cleaning products do a nice job with moderate dirt and graying, deck strippers are more concentrated and do a better job loosening all contaminants before washing. If you are unsure which to use or if there is an old stain on your deck, it is best to use a deck stain stripper just to be safe. Deck cleaners will work on most contaminants but will not remove most failing deck stains as a deck stripper will.
Need Help Finding a Stain Stripper?
See my top 4 deck stain stripper reviews below.
#1 Best Wood Stain Stripper/Remover | #2 Best Wood Stain Stripper/Remover | #3 Best Wood Stain Stripper/Remover |
 |  |  |
From: $89.97 each *Booster, Gel, and Stripper. Makes 5-Liquid Gallons. | From: $39.99 *Ships Free. Makes 5-Liquid Gallons. | From: $69.99 *Ships Free. Removes Solid Stains. |
How To Strip A Deck Stain Video
Any Questions on this Topic? Please Ask Below!
Hi I am about use the RAD system with Booster. It’s partially covered screened porch that is painted white with Benjamin Moor exterior paint. Do I have to cover it or it will be safe?
It does not remove the paint but prewet the painted areas and rinse any overspray right away while working.
Thank you!
I used an oxygen bleach cleaner and it has made old stain come off. It is like gelatinous goo! Why is this happening?
The previous stain was most likley failing. Just pressure wash off, brighten, and restain.
Hi there thanks to your amazing advice last year, we stripped and painted our cedar deck , this time with water based instead of oil based and for the first time ever the deck stayed light and beautiful despite lots of sun. Thank you for being such experts!!! Now its time for annual maintenance and I have a question about the cleaning . There are no big stains , can I just use soap and water or is it important in any case to use a deck brightener (I have Wolman available where I live but not sure if I really need it in a case where I am happy about current state). What do you think? Thanks again for everything!!!
Use only water and maybe a little bit of dish soap. Never use deck prep products as they are for prep when recoating, not general cleaning of dirt.
Basically, you do not want anything too aggressive that it removes the stain.
Ah but I thought to recoat. I thought it was important to recoat once a year to protect the wood is that not so? I live in a very sunny area
If you are recoating then you need to clean and brighen. Brightener by itself will not prep for recoating.
If it looks okay then just do the prep and recoat next year. No point in doing it now.
I’m planning on stripping and brightening my deck with TWP. However, the deck overhangs vegetation where many wild animals and birds live and eat. Is the runoff from the stripper and/or brightener dangerous to the animals and plants? I just can’t imagine all of the runoff chemicals used to strip stain and the stain itself being good for the environment.
Also, I have another deck that is over a cloth awning. Will the chemical runoff ruin the awning and/or patio below?
It is a corrosive so when wet it would be not good but once dry, it is fine.
I don’t understand your answer. I asked two questions…?
1) how does the stripper/stain runoff effect the vegetation and wildlife (birds, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons)
2) how does the runoff affect the awning below
Thank you
-1. It is a corrosive so when wet it would be not good but once the area is dry, it is not an issue.
-2. Not sure on awning. Best to ask the manufacturer of the stripper you are using. If it was us, we would remove the awning to be certain.
We installed a new cedar deck early last year. Never stained it but applied a wood sealer . Now the deck has water stains and nut/ berry stains from feeding birds and nearby trees Want to clean deck and treat wood . Any suggestions ?
Strip and brighten the wood for prep using Restore A Deck products. Stain with one of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
We have sanded our deck and removed the opaque stain that was on it. However, there is still stain remaining in between the deck boards. How do we remove? Is there a way to sand off? Or do we have to try to chemically remove it? Thank you!
There is not a way to sand this or strip it easily off.
Will deck stripper work well with a water pressure machine? I was thinking to use a karcher k4 directly or the patio cleaner atrachement but i was told that is not good because the stripper needs to be applied manually so it will seep into the wood, is that true?
You cannot apply a stripper like this through a pressure washer.
Thank you , maybe you can advise me if I need to strip in the first place or can manage with just cleaning. I am enclosing a picture including what yiu see was caused by a test of our pressure washer which seems to have brought back rhe original color of our cedar with just water…
In any case i would appreciate if you can correct the steps as I understand it, i am looking also to be efficient , as this is a large deck around 1000 sq feet.
1) sweep and wash with presdure washer
2) apply cleaner or stripper with a broom.
3) wash off with pressure washer
4) apply brightener with broom ( i see flood advertises all purpose cleaner that also brightens, will that save me steps?)
5) wash off with pressurr washer
6)
Wait 48 hours
7) apply sealant
??
Thank you 🙂
Use a stripper for this. You apply the stripper and brightener with a pump sprayer, not a broom. The rest of your steps are correct.
Thank you! One more …I am worried I wont do a good job with the pressure washer and cause damage. If i use a “patio cleaner” from karcher t350 will it do the job? In other words spray and then run the patio cleaner without a need to scrub with a broom? Or am i better off not spending 150 dollars on that gadget and stick to basics? Thanks!
No, the Karcher will not work.
Thanj you! Can you please advise if I need stripping at all or whether cleaning is enough? The picture was taken nearly one year since the last time I used Flood transparent UV , the marks were caused by water which was applied on Friday accidently through a pressure washer which seemwd to have revealwd the origibal cedar. The deck is a large one, would appreciate understanding what tools I can use to be efficient without losing effectiveness. Is there a link which explains the best way to ho through the process from cleaning to brightener to sealant ? Thanks!!
My backyard ipe deck has been stained with Deckwise Ipe Oil. And my front porch, which is also built with ipe, has been stained with Penofin Brazilian Rosewood Oil For Hardwood. They both looked beautiful for a while but now grayed due to time, sun exposure and the rain here in Pacific Northwest. For a better color retention I might want to try a different brand of stain like AC Hardwood Stain. If I decide to switch to AC, for prepping should I strip the old stain with deck stain stiripper? Or just deck cleaner will do? (followed by brighterner) Any sanding required?
Strip and brighten. No need to sand.
Does the deck stripper damage vinyl siding?
We also have black painted metal slats on our deck… will the stripper damage them?
No to vinyl and it should not harm the black paint but always test spot first.
New house has wooden slats. Hi shine. When wet are far too slippery and very dangerous to me.
Please advise how to make less slippery.
You would have to remove the current shiny coating fully to fix this and that would require power drum sanding. Once removed, switch to a penetrating wood stain.
Dear Deck Stain, My husband built a deck at xmas using Redwood. Its weathered for about 2 months so I stained the fence panels and they look great but the deck is a bit dirty from building it near mud etc, can I use exterior wood stripper to clean the floor or do I need wood cleaner? It has no stain on it yet? Also with it being new do I really need a brightener? The fence panels were fine without though understand time will tell
See here about new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
After the wait, prep with a deck cleaner and then a brightener. Yes, you will need the brightener.
Hello. If I use a stain stripper and then Brightener on my deck, can I wash these off with a garden hose, or do I need a power washer no matter what? Thanks.
You will need a pressure washer.
What is a good PSI for a pressure washer? I do not want something too strong for obvious reasons.
1500-2000 PSI.