When you invest in high-quality composite decking, you want to be confident that it’s going to maintain its good looks for years to come. Most composite decking is very low-maintenance and won’t need sanding, staining or sealing like conventional hardwood decking. 

That being said, composite decking, like all garden features, can get dirty over time. If you find that your composite decking has gathered too much dirt to be simply wiped clean, then you might be thinking about getting your power washer out. But is it safe to power wash your decking?

The short answer is yes – it is safe to power wash your decking as long as you follow the steps outlined below.

First, make sure any loose leaves dirt and debris is removed from the surface of your decking using a broom. Once the surface of the composite decking is exposed, you can use your power washer and an appropriate cleaning product get the whole deck nice and soapy. You should see the dirt lifting away in front of your eyes!

The maximum pressure of the power washer should be 1500 psi. Any higher than this and you could risk damaging your boards.

If you’re unsure which way you should clean the boards, we’d recommend looking at the grain of the boards and spraying it in that direction. This will help to loosen any dirt that’s become stuck in the wood grooves too.

Once the decking looks clean, use clean water to wash away any excess soap. Then, all you need to do is let your decking dry in the sun and it’ll look good as new.

Routine cleaning of composite decking

You’ll be pleased to hear that if you’ve invested in high-quality composite decking, it won’t need power washing very regularly. In fact, it might only need power washing every one or two years. 

Your standard composite decking cleaning routine will be much simpler. If you notice some surface dirt on your composite decking, a wet, soapy cloth should do the job. The polymer coating on the outside of the boards helps to protect it from stains, so you’ll never need to worry about permanent discolouration. 

Composite decking is ideal for busy family gardens because it can be cleaned down in no time at all! Muddy footprints, sand from the beach and even the occasionally doggy ‘do-do’ can be quickly removed from the surface of your decking leaving no trace behind. Sounds good right?

If you’re planning a garden renovation in 2021, we’d highly recommend taking a look at composite decking. It ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of homeowners.

partnered post • cc-licensed image by Olger Fallas