How to Clean and Care for external decks

The deck of our homes, is a space where you can enjoy the outside, without leaving our own house. Admittedly, it is a space that takes less care, because it is more resistant than other areas of the house to be located outside. But not for that reason, we must stop neglecting it, since it […]
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The deck of our homes, is a space where you can enjoy the outside, without leaving our own house. Admittedly, it is a space that takes less care, because it is more resistant than other areas of the house to be located outside. But not for that reason, we must stop neglecting it, since it also needs care. Therefore, we present tricks to clean and care for the outdoor decks.

Consider that selecting composite timber decking is a great option to make your house look more elegant. Contact the experts if you want to build a deck, here at Branson Building Materials you will find anything you need.

Tips and tricks to keep our deck alive:

Clean the floor

The soil is one of the most important elements, since being outside suffers all the meteorological consequences such as rain, snow, the sun’s wear. Therefore, it is important, depending on the soil material, to dedicate certain care.

Wooden floors

You have to be very careful because above all the temperature changes will affect this type of soil. Therefore, it is recommended to use a specific oil for the type of soil you have, simply for the treatment.

And specifically, to clean strong stains it is recommended to sand the wood gently and apply the oil mentioned above. And to clean stains every day, simply water or a wood cleaner is recommended.

Mud floors and tiles

For its treatment the use of waxes or special products of the manufacturer is recommended. And for easy cleaning every day it is recommended to use water with bleach or water and vinegar.

Natural stone floor

They are the most common since they are the strongest soils against the outside and therefore carry the simplest method of cleaning. Simply use water with a soap product and rinse.

Do you also want to take care of outdoor furniture?

Another very important factor is to keep the deck furniture and simply clean them as if normal interior furniture will be treated. In our other article how to take care of outdoor furniture, you will find all the specific information.

And how to clean the awnings?

Cleaning awnings weekly, it is recommended to clean and brush the awning canvas to remove all accumulated dust. With the importance of insisting on metal areas, which are also important and should not be forgotten. To avoid future mould presence.

For stains on the canvas, use a mild soap on cloths and cold water. Metal areas should also be cleaned with soft cloths because aluminium can be scratched.

Tips to take care of your deck

The decks are designed in different ways and with different elements, so by acquiring the materials for their construction as well as the furniture that will be included

We must always ensure that they are sufficiently resistant to changes in temperature, both of the sun hugger, rain or cold.

However, although they are designed for these purposes, it is not enough to seek advice on how to care for them, keep them in good condition so that their durability is increased for longer.

Therefore, before taking care of your deck or furniture, take into account the type of material that is made of wood, steel, aluminium, etc., so you will know what treatment to apply.

Here are some tips when caring for your deck:

  1. The walls and furniture made of teak wood are very common materials for manufacturing outdoor furniture, since it is very resistant and can easily withstand the inclement weather. In addition, by itself it offers a beautiful natural and has a beautiful golden colour, however over time and with the corrosion of the sun, air and water, this wood oxidizes and ends up taking a grey colour. To solve it and make them recover their brown colour, apply a teak sealer to the wood, for example with teak oil you will get it back to its natural state intensifies its natural tone.

 

  1. Apply it to the furniture once or twice a year and you will always have it as new, but keep in mind that when applying the oil, the wood must be completely dry. If instead you have stainless steel furniture, although as the name says they are stainless with time, their material always ends up wearing out, so choose a cleaning based on water and a neutral soap, but do not do it frequently with a couple sometimes it will be more than enough.

 

And as a preventive treatment it is best to use a specific protector for stainless steel, which will protect it and keep it clean at the same time.

 

  1. Another element used in the decks is aluminium because it is a very light material that is also resistant to corrosion. However, we must be careful with the material of the sponge that we will use when cleaning it, as it is easily scratched. For ceramic ornaments they are very easy to clean, you only need multipurpose detergent, then dry it with a towel. Ceramics is a perfect outdoor material because of its great strength and durability.

As for iron tables or chairs, they are very oxidisable materials, especially in humid environments, for their protection use antioxidant paint and repeat the process every two years.

The rattan furniture, bamboo or duffel fibres are light and resistant, clean them with a soft brush, then wipe them with a cloth dampened with soap and water, or you also have the option of doing it with salt water. Then dry them with a blanket or towel and finally apply an open pore varnish to the outside as a protective measure.

If you have wicker furniture and have stains you can remove them from the fabrics with vinegar, but if they persist, mix the vinegar with baking soda and rub gently.

A good recommendation is that you opt for potted plants, so you can move them according to weather conditions, but if you want to make a garden where there are many plants and shrubs, then you can use climbing plants that have an easy to control development, if it also gives beautiful flowers, your deck will look much better among the plants of this type that are more ideal for the decks you will find.

Contact the experts if you want to build a deck, here at Branson Building Materials you will find anything you need.