Whether it’s a wood privacy fence, a sunny deck by your pool, or a cool and shady porch, natural wood surfaces can be a huge part of your outdoor experience. But how do you care for your natural wood when it starts to look a little untidy from dirt and pollen?
Wood cleaning can be as simple as calling ARD Cleaning Services, but even if you’re just scheduling an appointment and prepping your space for the crew, keeping a few key “dos and don’ts” in mind can help ensure your wood cleaning keeps running smoothly.
Do
- Protect Your Plants. If you have weeds or brush growing near your wood fence, deck, or porch, remove them before attempting to clean the wood to avoid scratching the wood surface during the cleaning process. You should also thoroughly water and cover any plants, shrubs, or flowers located close to the wood cleaning area to keep them from being damaged by the cleaning solution.
- Know your wood. Different types of surfaces require different wood cleaning approaches. Is your wood natural, or is it finished with some kind of stain or paint? Is it a hardwood or softwood? Finding this out first ensures your cleaning approach won’t damage your outdoor wood surfaces.
Don’t
- Pressure wash. Using an abrasive or high-powered cleaning technique like pressure washing isn’t a good approach for wood cleaning as it can damage the wood fibers, leaving a blasted, fuzzy look. Softwashing is a gentler cleaning method that won’t damage your wood.
- Neglect cleaning. If you’re worried about making mistakes in wood cleaning, you can always call in professional help. But ignoring wood cleaning tasks isn’t a good idea. The longer dirt, debris, algae, and mold growth are left unchecked, the higher the risk of damage to your wood surfaces. Always plan to clean your wood fence, deck, and porch at least once per year to keep them in top condition.
