Cleaning Trex Decking With Vinegar
Everything good needs care and maintenance to last long. Although wood decking requires a broader range of maintenance, it is not so for trex decking as maintenance comes a little easier. Vinegar is one of the safest, most commonly used, and affordable DIY substitutes for deck cleaning.
It is relatively cheaper than any chemical and can be easily found. It’s so easy to find that you may have some lying around your kitchen. So thinking about it, you’d see that using vinegar to clean your deck would save you more time and money than buying cleaning products.
So you really might want to know how cleaning trex decking with vinegar works, and trust me, this article is a whole lot helpful as it would help do justice to this quest.
All at a Glance
Vinegar as a safe DIY substitute on trex decking
Many people still have doubts about using vinegar despite it being a well-known product. However, the bitter truth is that it is still not a suitable cleaning substitute for all materials while very adequate. However, when it comes to trex or composite decking, vinegar is generally safe to use.
Vinegar contains acid, which is why it removes stain from surfaces, and this acid can potentially remove the color of your decking. So you do not want vinegar staying for an extended period on your decking.
As earlier stated, using vinegar is a cheap means of cleaning your deck as it can be found anywhere, and it’s safe to use. But regardless, you might still want to make your findings whether the material you’ve bought is compatible with vinegar.
However, you may also want to use commercial cleaning products to clean tropical stains on decking and patios.
Vinegar contains acetic acid, which dissolves away grime and dirt and helps to remove stain.
Research has also shown that it can kill many viruses, bacteria, and other household pathogens, especially when mixed with baking soda. All of these are why it is a commonly used and effective cleaning agent.
However, it shouldn’t be used as an alternative to disinfectants as more potent pathogens are resistant to vinegar. So always ensure to use proper disinfectant when you want to disinfect a surface.
Cleaning trex decking with vinegar
Probably you do not want to clean your trex decking with a commercial cleaning solution; vinegar is another run-to solution.
Needed materials
Under no circumstances should vinegar be used alone; therefore, to make an excellent cleaning solution for trex decking, it should always be diluted with other materials. Below are some of the required materials for cleaning trex decking with vinegar.
- 1/2 cup vinegar(Apple cider vinegar or white)
- Three to four liters of water
- 1/4 cup baking soda.
All of these materials are what everyone sure has in their homes. So after you must have gathered them, mix all these ingredients in a large bucket.
Pre-rinse trex deck
Right after getting your materials available, the next step is to prepare your trex deck for cleaning, and to do so; you have to pre-rinse it with water. However, using your garden hose is the best way to do this because the water from your garden hose will have some pressure that can remove debris and dirt from the deck. It would also help soften the fibers of the board on your deck, which allows the vinegar solution work effectively on your composite deck.
Apply pressure on the deck board
Once you’re done with the pre-rinse, now you want to scrub your deck with vinegar solution. However, be reminded not to use a metal brush as this would ruin your deck’s surface. And by doing so, you’re positioning yourself for consequences that you’d have to fix later.
Rather than that, you should dip a soft bristle brush in the vinegar solution as this would be gentle on the deck hence helping the solution absorb much better.
Rinse with water
Having done all of that, it’s time for you to rinse your deck with some water. If you want the vinegar to be removed completely, make use of your standard garden hose. However, Using a power washer would also give a similar result, but it can be pretty challenging. So it’s often advised to use your standard garden hose for complete and effectual removal of the solution.
Watch out for remaining stains and spots.
The concluding step is to check your trex deck for the remaining stains or spots.
Perhaps any spots are persistent and still on deck; a robust cleaning solution would be needed to get rid of them. You have to take two parts vinegar, 1 part water, and apply them to the stain.
Once you have done this, sprinkle some baking soda and allow it for some minutes so that the vinegar can go in the stain to remove it. After you rinse the solution with water, the stain is most likely to be removed.
Trex decking maintenance tips
After you’ve successfully carried out the cleaning procedures on your deck, your work doesn’t end there, as you still need to know the essential tips required to take care of your trex decking.
Avoid sharp edges
Always avoid using sharp edges or a shovel when it comes to cleaning ice and snow from your wood deck, as these sharp edges will cause damage to your deck hence creating spots and marks. Avoid using sand as well.
The most efficient way to remove ice and snow from your deck is to use a calcium-chloride-based ice melt or rock salt. Note that ice melt shouldn’t have any added colorant as these dyes could leave stains on your wood deck.
Get rid of grease and oil stains immediately.
Perhaps there are any grease or oil stains on your trex deck; try as much as possible to clean up immediately because the longer these elements are left on the deck, the higher the chances of the wood fibers soaking these elements.
You can clean these stains using soap and water, and should in case they don’t seem to be gotten rid of; you might want to use commercial products to remove such stains.
Keep your trex deck dried always.
If standing water is a perpetual occurrence on your deck, trust me, it’d start staining with time, as standing water is one of the biggest enemies of a trex deck. By then, these stains will be difficult to remove, and the water, however, will affect the longevity of your deck.
So the best bet is to keep the wood dry as this would reduce the chances of wood rot and prolong the life of your deck.
Proper ventilation
Ensure adequate ventilation between and under your trex deck board because mold growth can be a significant problem if your deck isn’t properly ventilated. For instance, dryers circulate the heat that comes from them to the outside area of your house.
It’s essential to ensure these dryers’ vents don’t open near or beneath your deck. as the heat from it will spew most air hence inviting mold and mildew growths along the line.
Make free the gaps between deck boards.
It’s not new that grasses, leaves, and the likes could get stuck between the trex deck board. And when these things get wet, they tend to promote the decay of your deck.
So whenever you notice these gaps getting clogged with various materials, try to use a putty knife or spatula to unclog. After which, you rinse your deck with a garden hose to ensure complete removal.
Note: Adequate unclogging will prevent decay of your deck as well as enhance its life. So not leave buildup materials on your deck for extended periods.
Sweep often
Lastly, to get rid of dirt and prevent debris from clogging the gaps between boards, you have to ensure you sweep your trex decking as often as possible. It’s best to clean after every two to three days for the best result.
However, during the autumn period, try to do it every day as much as possible. It wouldn’t take much time and still maintain your trex deck for a long time.
Conclusion
Preserving your deck is easy as long as you make conscious efforts to clean it when necessary and use the appropriate cleaning product as you’re enabled to utilize it. However, cleaning trex decking with vinegar solution is one intelligent move anyone can make as this is safe to use, affordable and effective. I hope this piece helps put you on track.
