Cleaning Trex Decking

Without a doubt Trex decking material is one of the most resilient and popular choices for decks to come along in recent years. This material is generally exceptionally easy to clean and maintain, and most times even easier to clean. However, just because it is easy to clean doesn't mean that there aren't times when you can run into some difficulties. Cleaning Trex decking, even when faced with some difficulties, doesn't need to be unnecessarily hard. Here are some general guidelines that you can use to make sure that you are getting your Trex decking material as clean as you possibly can.

• Avoid sanding. Despite the overall durability of the material, you do not want to ever use sand paper to remove anything from Trex decking. This is due to the chance that you can potentially damage, and thus change, the appearance of the surface of the Trex material. While this may get the area "clean" the area will still stand out from the rest of the deck, and that is not what anyone wants.
• Use a power washer. Power washers can be very effective at cleaning most kinds of stains and problems on Trex decking. However, this doesn't mean that you go out and get the most powerful kind that you can find, for much of the same reasons as listed with sandpaper. When you use a power washer, you need a power washer that will use less than 1500 PSI of pressure, and never hold it closer than 12 inches.
• Use a scraper. If you have something that is really stuck on the deck, then you may need to use a scraper to remove it. However you want to be really careful when you do this, since you could run into the same problems that you have with a power washer or sandpaper. The best kind of scraper to use is one of those stiff, nylon or plastic ones that are less likely to damage or dig into the decking material. Simply hold the scraper at a shallow angle to the deck, and carefully work your way underneath the material.
• Hire a professional. For those who are unable to get their own Trex decking clean, or are not confident to do the work themselves, then you can always hire a professional to do the job for you. While it is a more expensive option, by going this way you are pretty much guaranteed to get your deck clean and to keep it free of any damage.