How to Clean Composite Decking – A Complete Guide for House Owners

Compared with traditional wood decking, one of the best advantages of composite decking is that it requires low maintenance and is easier to clean. However, low maintenance doesn’t mean that it’s totally maintenance-free. Generally, you should at least thoroughly clean your composite wood decking 2 times every year. Proper cleaning will help the WPC composite decking maintain its beauty and neatness, extend the life of the decking, as well as improve the slip resistance and safety of the decking.

Cleaning wood plastic composite (WPC) decking requires a different approach compared to cleaning wood decking due to its composite nature. WPC decking is crafted from a blend of HDPE plastic and wood fibers, which makes it less tolerant to harsh chemicals or abrasive scrubbing methods. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand the correct cleaning process to avoid any potential damage.

Our comprehensive guide offers step-by-step instructions on thoroughly cleaning your composite decking, ensuring effective cleaning without causing any harm or deterioration.

Step 1: Remove All Things From the Composite Decking

First, remove your outdoor furniture, pots, planters, doormats, and the barbecue. Then sweep your composite deck with a soft-bristled brush to remove loose debris, such as grass cuttings, fallen leaves, and twigs, trying to get in the gaps as much as possible.

If needed, use a scraper or putty knife to remove any dirt trapped between the boards. Just be careful not to scratch the surface of the composite. You can also spray the area with a hose to remove debris but use gentle pressure.

Step 2: Clean Deck Railings First If Any

Deck railings can really help enhance the style of your outdoor decking and improve the safety of a decking. If you have railings around your composite deck, then start by washing them down with soapy water and a decking cleaning brush. Then, hose it off, removing any debris and cobwebs.

Step 3: Wash the Composite Decking with Soapy Water

To clean the composite boards, mix up a bucket of warm soapy water and use a medium-to-hard brush to get into the embossed pattern of your boards.

Working in a small section at a time, about 5-meter sections to prevent any cleaner from drying out and possibly leaving a film on the deck. Then rinse clean and allow to dry.

Tips for Removing Most Kinds of Stains

Stain Type	Solution
Dust	Use a hard brush dipped in warm soapy water to remove it.
Mildew	Scrub with ordinary wood mold class agents, or bleach to rinse or wipe it directly.
Chalk Stains	In addition to the white chalk, other colors can not be removed once the printing, you can use a bleaching agent with hot soapy water to scratch it.
Ice or Snow	Apply calcium chloride or rock salt, it can melt ice or snow. Then you can use hot soapy water to wash it.
Stain, Soil, and Dirt	Apply detergent, which contains oxalic acid or phosphoric acid. Wiping the stain for 10-15 minutes, you can remove stains.
Greasy and Oil-Based Stains	Once a grease stain, please immediately use household cleaning products with hot soapy water to wash it.
Juice and Wine Stains	Mix the bleach stains agents and hot soapy water to dilute the stain and then wipe the stain.
Ink Stains	Ink stains may not be removed. Mix bleach stains agents and hot soapy water to dilute the stain.

Important Notes

1. Make sure that you regularly clean the composite wood decking to prevent dust accumulation or a variety of stains, otherwise, the dust may become more difficult to remove after a long period.
2. For some specific kinds of stains, you can clean a small part of the stains as a testing ground to prevent too much chromatic aberration.
3. Please stay away from chlorine bleach, no matter how you choose to clean your WPC composite decking as it can lead to color-fading of the decking boards. You can select oxygenated cleaners if needed.
4. Use a pressure washer if any stubborn stains are still showing on your decking. But you should control the water pressure under 6 bar and clean the decking from a suitable distance.