Historic HomeWorks Forum

[Neal Yonover]

Greetings from a new member!

I've been trying to figure out what to use and how to clean a client's weathered deck (fourth story of a building in Chicago, and probably pressure-treated, but so weathered I can’t tell for certain). Everybody seems to have an opinion, usually that their product is greenest, safest, best -- until I get to the label and the dire warnings (which make anthrax look harmless). As usual, the result is confusion.

I would appreciate your thoughts on how to approach this cleaning job. It's a deck that gets direct sun, temperature and city dust year-round. There is also a shaded stairwell with moss growing on the vertical risers. And there are neighboring decks with antiques and plants beneath it (which makes the more aggressive cleaners, e.g., oxalic acid, seem iffy).

I'm hoping to find a cleaner that will remove the dirt without hurting the
Wood or any of plants, critters and other items on the decks below. I'm also hoping to avoid dragging a power washer up four flights of stairs. The "corporate fitness program" already includes toting way too much gear up and down stairs.

Thanks.

Neal

[johnleeke]

Neal:

Welcome to the Forum!

Check out the Paint and Coatings section of the Historic HomeWorks Library, over at the main website:

http://www.historichomeworks.com/hhw/library/library.htm

then return here for Q&A.

[Neal Yonover]

Thanks, John.

As usual, it's exactly the information I was looking for.

In addition, the (latest) question is, if percarbonate is the way to go, is there a difference between brands and configuarions, e.g., Natural Choices' EXTERIOR PROx Deck & Patio Cleaner vs their regular OxyBOOST?

Also, would there be any value to installing zinc strips at the top of the risers to prevent future moss after cleaning?

Neal

[johnleeke]

We often have used copper, lead and zinc strips, wires and cables as a preservative for wood roofing. If you can assure that rainwater will run over the strip and then onto the wood then it probably will have a preservative effect, by limiting the plants and critters that use the wood for food.