Reducing Dirt & Grime:
Semi-annual cleaning of your deck is recommended to reduce dirt, dust, grime and other residue build-up. When cleaning, rinse your deck with a garden hose using a fan-tip nozzle at a pressure not exceeding 1,000 psi.
Regular cleaning may not eliminate all dirt, dust, grime and other residue build-up on your deck. For a more thorough cleaning of your EverGrain or EverGrain Envision deck, use a deck wash containing sodium hypochlorite, such as these:
- BEHR® Premium 2-In-1 Wood Prep No. 63
- Mold Armor® Deck Wash
- OLYMPIC® Deck Cleaner
Removing Rust Stains:
Metal outdoor furniture can leave rust marks on your deck. Therefore, we recommend that you apply appropriate plastic or vinyl tips to metal furniture to prevent staining.
If rust stains do appear on your EverGrain or EverGrain Envision deck, they can often be removed using deck cleaners containing oxalic acid or phosphoric acid, such as these:
- BEHR® Premium 2-In-1 Wood Prep No. 63
- Flood™ Dekswood® Deck Cleaner Brightener
Cooking Oils & Grease Stains:
To keep your deck in the best possible shape, we also recommend the use of grill mats to reduce the risk of grease stains associated with grills on both EverGrain decking and EverGrain Envision decking. Cooking grease and canola oil are included under the EverGrain Envision Stain Resistance Warranty section of the limited warranty, but precautions to avoid grease spills should still be taken. Please refer to the limited warranty for full details and additional cleaning instructions.
Should grease or oil stain the deck’s surface, it is important to clean the stain immediately using a commercial degreasing agent such as:
- Super Clean™ Multi-Purpose Cleaner/Degreaser
Removing Sun Tan Lotion:
Since suntan lotions and oils can potentially stain your deck, please take precautions to avoid these types of spills.
These stains can often be removed using mild degreasing agents. Be sure to remove as much of the lotion spill as possible with water before using cleaning agents.
- Dawn® Soap
Removing Mold & Mildew:
Periodically rinse your deck with a garden hose, using a fan-tip nozzle at a pressure not exceeding 1,000 psi, to help reduce the occurrence of mold and mildew.
Mold and mildew stains are a natural result of moisture and climatic conditions in your area. These stains can often be removed using cleaners containing sodium hypochlorite such as those listed below:
- BEHR® Premium 2-In-1 Wood Prep No. 63
- Mold Armor® Deck Wash
- OLYMPIC® Deck Cleaner
Additional Tips:
- Dragging furniture and other objects across the deck boards may cause surface scratches.
- Remove food, spills and other debris and clean immediately to minimize the possibility of staining.
- Always test any cleaner on a small portion of your deck before cleaning the entire deck.
- Always follow manufacturers’ application instructions when using any cleaner.
- Please note that any cleaner can lighten the color of your deck.
- Place mats under metal objects to protect against rust stains.
- Place grill mats under your grill to protect your deck from grease spills.
- Never mix two or more cleaning agents when cleaning your deck.
- Do not use a metal shovel to remove snow or ice from your deck, as you may cause damage to the deck surface.
- Always follow proper gapping (installation) instructions to prevent water from accumulating on your deck.
- Keep the area under your deck clean and well ventilated.
- Never apply harsh solvents such as acetone, gasoline, benzene, carbon tetrachloride or paint thinner to your deck.
- Sanding the surface to remove stains is not recommended.