It’s spring, which means it’s spring cleaning time for both the inside and the outside of your home. Now is a great time to get out there and pressure wash your deck. You can generally rent a pressure washer from most home improvement centers quite inexpensively.

When you wash your deck, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. The minimum pressure you will need to effectively clean your deck is 1500 pounds per square inch (psi).

2. There are several different nozzle tips you can use with the pressure washer. Use a wide-angle tip of 25-40 degrees for best results. Do not use a 0 deg. tip on wood. It will cause pitting.
3. Clean the deck with a solution meant to be used with your type of power washer. Use a swinging motion like you are swinging a golf club. Let the solution sit for several minutes.
4. Never let the cleaning solution sit on your deck for longer than 15
   minutes. It will start to dry and will leave residue on your deck.
   Rinse with plenty of fresh water to get all the chemical off.
5. Wear goggles or glasses to protect your eyes from the chemicals.
6. Keep the jet in motion at all times to keep from pitting the wood.
7. Make sure not to get the jet too close to the wood. This can cause pitting or scarring of the wood.
8. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s specifications when using the pressure washer.

Allow 48 hours for your deck to thoroughly dry. Then you can stain or seal your deck. It will look totally revitalized!