Decking is exposed to the elements all year, which makes it a hotspot for moss, dirt and grime, making the decking appear dull and dirty.
While using a pressure washer may be the easiest way to clean a decking, they can be an expensive purchase and so I decided to see if washing up liquid would do the trick.
To start with, it is really important to remove anything which is on the decking such as furniture or plant pots.
I then swept the decking to get rid of any loose dirt, moss and leaves before hosing the decking down to get rid of any stubborn moss.
There are many ways to clean the decking with washing up liquid but I opted to simply squirt a little of the product onto the decking.
I used Fairy’s Original Washing up Liquid which I picked up from Ocado for £1.50, I used about a quarter of the bottle on the whole of the decking, working out to cost just 37p.
There are also cheaper washing up liquids on the market, including Asda’s 55p bottle which would make the job a lot cheaper.
After spreading the washing up liquid across the surface, I took my broom and gently scrubbed the product into the wood, making sure any grooves were reached.
My decking has faded quite a lot so I knew the end result wouldn’t be perfect, but it was mainly the moss which I wanted to remove.
After, I took my hose and gently sprayed water across the surface before scrubbing again with the broom to make sure the entire surface had been covered.
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Once this had been done, I simply hosed down the decking one last time before letting it dry in the sun, the whole job took around 20 minutes.
Due to it being extremely warm, the decking dried in less than 20 minutes and the result was brilliant, and it looked a lot brighter with no moss or dirt left on the surface.
If you have white vinegar and water along with some baking soda which can work great as an eco-friendly option.
The experts and Checkatrade explained: “If you have children or pets, you may prefer not to use strong chemicals in your garden. Wondering how to clean decking naturally?
“It’s actually quite simple. Just mix one cup of vinegar with a gallon of water. You can then pour baking soda over your decking and use a stiff brush to work the water and vinegar into your boards before rinsing.
“Slippery decking can be a real issue and the last thing you need is a broken arm from a nasty fall. Luckily you can prevent it from becoming slippery by keeping it clean.
“Don’t allow algae or wet leaves to build up as this is the primary cause of slippery decking. If you want to clean slippery decking, you just need to use a stiff broom to sweep your decking regularly.
“This is especially important after a storm or wet weather. You can also use anti-slip products to stop your decking from becoming slippery in the first place.”
Once the decking is properly clean and tidy, Britons have a few options to protect it from the elements.
The experts at Checkatrade said: “We’d recommend doing this on a dry day as rain could interfere in the process. You can choose to stain, treat or paint your decking.”
For the best results, or if you are not getting the results you wanted, it may be best to hire a professional in order to get the space in great condition for summer.
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