# Cleaning the deck without caustic chemicals

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-the-deck-without-caustic-chemicals/449592>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [May 16, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-the-deck-without-caustic-chemicals/449592 "2008-05-16T19:46:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-the-deck-without-caustic-chemicals/449592/1 "2008-05-16T19:46:02Z")

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We have a wooden deck. It’s made out of treated lumber, and hasn’t been cleaned since we moved in (4 years). It’s starting to look pretty grungy, and there’s spots where there’s greenish slippery algae kind of stuff growing.

So we want to clean it. Seeing as both my parents and my brother own power washers, we’ve got that part covered. But when Mr. Athena talked to my brother about how to use it, his recommendation was to buy some sort of “deck cleaner” stuff and/or bleach.

We’ve got little dogs, and we’re perched on a hill above a stream. We’re just not all that into putting that much chemically stuff into the environment or our dogs. Sooo… what are our options? Anything “green” that will help?

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**Author:** ![JustThinkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@JustThinkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustThinkin)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-the-deck-without-caustic-chemicals/449592/2 "2008-05-16T20:51:58Z")

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[QUOTE=Athena]

We’ve got little dogs, and we’re perched on a hill above a stream. We’re just not all that into putting that much chemically stuff into the environment or our dogs. Sooo… what are our options? Anything “green” that will help?  
[/QUOTE]

Water and a scrub brush just worked fine here.

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**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-the-deck-without-caustic-chemicals/449592/3 "2008-05-16T20:54:28Z")

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Try a baking soda scrub, followed by a 50/50 water/white vinegar rinse.

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**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-the-deck-without-caustic-chemicals/449592/4 "2008-05-16T22:22:18Z")

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We cleaned our deck without any cleaning solution at all, but we used a power washer. If you think you might use it for other things, it might be worth the investment. You can usually find them for $100-$150. We also use it to wash the cars and the siding on the house.

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**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-the-deck-without-caustic-chemicals/449592/5 "2008-05-16T23:26:26Z")

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Power washer and using only water works on wood decks. Seal it soon after it’s clean, before it weathers grey again, or gets algae again.