Cleaning wood deck with vinegar and other methods
This blog explains what green algae are and why it is not wise to remove them with vinegar. In addition, we give you environmentally friendly cleaning.
Environmentally friendly cleaning means that cleaning is done in a way that does not pollute the living environment of people, animals, and plants.
So why does vinegar work so well?
The acid in the vinegar kills the mosses and algae. First, spread (diluted) vinegar over the surface to be cleaned. You can then let this absorb well, so don’t scrub right away.
The vinegar is well absorbed when the green algae slowly turn yellow. You can then easily remove the yellow mold with a brush or broom.
Disadvantages cleaning the Wooden deck with vinegar
Are you cleaning the deck with vinegar? Please do not do it! A common response to the removal of green algae.
Green algae are a layer of algae that settle on your substrate. Algae growth is highly dependent on weather conditions. Places, where the sun shines more often will have little or no green algae. Places.
The use of cleaning vinegar is easy, but pay close attention to the environment of your decking. Where vinegar affects the moss and algae through its acid, it will also affect
other living organisms in the area. To be safe, only use diluted vinegar and stay away from the border and your lawn.
How to remove green algae from a wooden deck
Wooden decking in the garden is a beautiful sight. Unfortunately, no one can avoid cleaning the wooden decking every once in a while.
This is because, at some point, green algae can form on the deck. In almost all cases, this is always about algae.
Algae is a collective name for many groups of organisms that perform photosynthesis. Instead, almost all photosynthesis organisms do not belong to ‘higher plants’ or in combination with moss.
Moss or (leaf) mosses are small land plants, which grow closely packed together. You can often find them in mats or cushions on rocks, soil, or the trunk or leaves of trees. Mosses are almost always green.
It is advisable to clean a wooden decking well at least twice a year. Green algae can become very slippery, leading to falls. Of course, we want to avoid that!
So you cannot avoid cleaning your decking. How exactly?
We give tips on what does or does not help to remove green algae on a decking. The best time of year to clean a deck is spring. Then you can enjoy your beautiful, clean and safe deck for the rest of the year.
Green algae on deck
what exactly is green mold? it is a layer of algae that settles on your substrate. The algae are highly dependent on some different factors.
The factors that enhance algae growth are varying weather conditions, location, environment, frequency of entry, and sunlight.
Places that often receive little or no sunlight will suffer from green algae many times faster and more heavily than places where the sun usually shines.
Since wood is the main component of a tree, Common on terraces and decking, Bangkirai and other hardwoods are the most common types of wooden decking.
Removing green algae with vinegar is not the solution
Does vinegar kill algae on decks? You don’t have to search long on the internet to find some cleaning tips for removing green algae on different surfaces.
The suggestions range from using boiling water to using cleaning vinegar. Cleaning your wooden terrace, decking, or patio with vinegar to eliminate green algae is not a good idea.
It is used for descaling, unblocking, cleaning, disinfecting, and removing stains in the fabric. Often very different materials or fabrics than wood.
Wood is much more fragile and cannot withstand the high acidity that vinegar contains. Are you cleaning the deck with vinegar? Please do not do it!
Why is vinegar bad for cleaning a wooden terrace?
Vinegar is bad for your wooden terrace, decking, or patio because of the high acidity. This high acidity can cause your wood to discolor and warp in places.
Due to the high acidity, you affect the green algae and the environment around them.
While cleaning your terrace, it is impossible to prevent the vinegar from coming into contact with surface water or disappearing into the soil around your patio.
As a result, the environment has to deal with high acidity (in the soil or the water), ensuring that aquatic life such as various plants and fish will disappear. In places where vinegar has soaked into the soil, it is almost impossible to develop plant growth.
During cleaning your terrace with cleaning vinegar, you create an undesirable effect due to the many disadvantages that this entails.
Your wood may discolor, in many cases warp, your plants in the garden will die, and if you live on the water, there is a chance that fish will die. This is only by using some cleaning vinegar to remove green algae.
The color of the wood can change by applying anti-green algae
Many products against green algae ensure that mosses and algae are killed, and this often gives a dark effect on your wooden terrace, decking, or patio.
The products are often not suitable for a wooden surface and are usually not environmentally friendly.
A major disadvantage of using these products is removing all dead moss and algae yourself afterward. This is often labor-intensive and time-consuming.
Cleaning wooden decking high-pressure cleaner
Another way you can approach cleaning the wooden decking is by using the pressure washer. This way of cleaning is fast and effective, but it also has drawbacks. It is important to use warm water and not to set the pressure of the jet too high.
A hard, cold jet of water will damage the wood of your beautiful decking. This damage happens even faster when the wood has already been affected by the moss and algae.
By using warm water, you can already clean without having to increase the pressure. Even though you remove the attack so quickly and effectively, it also comes back quickly.
This has to do with the minor damage that the wood can incur due to incorrect use of the pressure washer. This damage makes it easier for algae and moss to get a grip on the wood. !!!
Therefore, cleaning the wooden decking with the high-pressure cleaner is possible, but we prefer not to!!! If you still like this way, make sure to put the decking back in the oil after cleaning.
Cleaning wood decks with bleach or Chlorine
Cleaning your wooden terrace with soapy water of 1/4 bleach or Chlorine with 3/4 waterworks is harmful to the environment and the plants near the decking.
We do not recommend cleaning a wooden decking with Chlorine. Chlorine is too aggressive and can damage the decking. In addition, Chlorine can also ensure that plants in beds against which the decking are placed can die.
It is, therefore, better not to use Chlorine to clean wooden decking. Chlorine is also very harmful to the environment. Be smart and choose a more environmentally friendly alternative.
Cleaning wooden decking with soda
Products such as soda are fairly effective against green algae.
Soda is a collective name for several compounds that always consist of sodium. It is often used for cleaning. It is therefore also called cleaning soda or household soda.
Soda mixed with hot water that you can distribute over your terrace with a watering can or insect spray.
This draws life out of the moss and algae. These should be removed after treatment with soda by using a broom. You will sweep away all dead moss and algae.
The disadvantage of this method is treating your entire terrace or decking several times (first with soda and later removing all dead moss and algae with a soft broom).
Not all pollution will come off your terrace by using these products.
Cleaning wooden decking with green soap and soda
A common method of cleaning wood decks is by using green soap and soda. These two components are mixed with warm water and then spread over the wood.
Green soap consists entirely of natural ingredients and is more environmentally friendly compared to aggressive anti-tarnish agents.
Soda is a somewhat milder cleaning agent and is relatively environmentally friendly when used to a lesser extent. The composition of the fine soapy water to clean the wooden decking is about five tablespoons of green soap and five tablespoons of soda in 10 liters of warm water.
Then first, soak the wooden decking well, let it soak in for a while, and then remove the green algae with a soft brush.
Cleaning wooden decking with potato water
Ever thought that the water you just boiled in your beepers could be used for useful things? You can remove green mold from your wooden decking by using just this water!
How is it possible that potato water removes algae?
The effectiveness of potato water has to do with the starch that remains in it after cooking. This starch ensures that the algae give up.
Keep the cooking water from the potatoes after cooking. You can pour the water warm or cold over your decking, let it soak in, and brush!
A coarse broom helps best to get the decking clean. After scrubbing, you only need to rinse the wooden decking with clean water. Is cleaning your wooden decking the next job? Then first, enjoy delicious boiled potatoes with dinner.
Treating wood with a hand brush
For me, the best way is to have your patio brushed by a machine, a unique brush technique to clean your terrace, decking, or paving using a special brush pad.
You can best compare cleaning with a brushing technique to using an electric toothbrush. The rotation of the brush removes all pollution, algae, and moss from your decking, terrace, or patio.
All loose pollution, mosses, and algae can easily be hosed off with a standard garden hose. Don’t use a high-pressure sprayer due to the adverse effect of a high-pressure sprayer on wood.
The best do-it-yourself solution is still to treat your wood with just water and a hand brush.
This makes the algae soft, and you can brush it away by using a soft hand brush. A disadvantage is extremely labor-intensive. You can lose more than a day for a terrace of 30 square meters.
Maintaining the deck: how to stop algae growing on decking
Now your deck is spotless and looks new again. Good maintenance is important to keep the deck beautiful and to last a long time.
For example, it is wise to protect the wooden decking after cleaning it. You can protect this by treating the wood with oil or stain.
Treated wood is more resistant to the vagaries of the weather and lasts longer than untreated wood.
Before you start working with stain or oil, clean decking is essential. When the wood of your decking has been affected by the green mold, it can sometimes be wise to sand the wood slightly.
This will remove damage and irregularities, but the stain or oil will also adhere better. Also, read wood maintenance for outdoor.
With a good cleaning, you will come a long way. Sanding does not apply to all types of wood, however. Please do not do this with pressed bamboo, for example.
Now that the wood is clean and sanded, it’s time to apply the stain. Do this with a brush or large paint roller and always iron with the grain.
When dealing with stains, make sure that you work quickly. Stain dries very quickly, and working at a high pace prevents color differences on the wooden decking.
After you have applied the stain or oil, it is a matter of letting it soak in and dry. Your wooden decking is now well protected again.
