Oxygenated detergent washes and tannin balancers restore Trex composite and cedar decks without fuzzing grain or gouging planks.

We wash composite boards under 800 PSI using a wide 40-degree tip and manufacturer-approved bio-detergent pre-soaks.

Composite deck boards, such as Trex, TimberTech, and Fiberon, feature an engineered polyethylene shell cap over a recycled wood-plastic composite core. Hitting this cap with high-pressure nozzles (1500+ PSI) etches the protective plastic wrap, dulls the embossed grain pattern, and exposes the porous core beneath, which voids composite manufacturer warranties immediately.

Jake cleans composite surfaces through chemistry, not destructive impact. We apply a mild, biodegradable surfactant that penetrates the micro-crevices of the wood-grain texture to dissolve green algae, pollen, and airborne fallout. After a ten-minute dwell, we sweep the boards with a calibrated 40-degree fan nozzle held twelve inches from the surface. The water pressure never exceeds 800 PSI, preserving the cap warranty while stripping slippery mold completely.

High pressure tears wood lignin and causes fuzzy splintering. We use sodium percarbonate and oxalic brighteners under 500 PSI.

The gray layer on weathered cedar is oxidized lignin—dead cellular wood fibers degraded by solar UV radiation. When a contractor blasts raw water into cedar or pressure-treated pine, the water streams shred the softened cellular walls. The result is a fuzzy, splintered surface that requires extensive orbital sanding before anyone can walk barefoot or apply stain.

Jake follows a strict two-step chemical restoration cycle for natural wood:

• Oxygenated Lifting (Sodium Percarbonate): We apply an active oxygen bath that breaks down oxidized surface dead wood cells without bleaching or damaging healthy cellulose.
• Controlled Wood Rinse: We rinse at 400 to 600 PSI with the grain of the wood, sweeping dead cells away without raising fiber grain.
• Tannin Neutralization & Brightener (Oxalic Acid): We mist an organic oxalic brightening wash that neutralizes the wood’s pH, balances natural cedar tannins, and restores bright honey-golden tones ready for staining.

We offer floor-only washes or comprehensive envelope washes including all vertical balusters, top rails, stair stringers, and kick-plates.

Algae and spider webs concentrate heavily on the shaded north-facing surfaces of vertical balusters and stair risers. Washing only the horizontal floor leaves green mold on the perimeter rail assembly, which re-infects the floor planks during the next seasonal rain.

During our initial inspection in Holland, PA, Jake details your deck measurements into two clear line items: horizontal walking square footage and vertical rail linear footage. You choose whether you want floor-only cleaning ($0.15–$0.20/sq.ft) or a complete envelope wash ($0.20–$0.25/sq.ft) that includes hand-cleaning all railing surfaces, post caps, and stair systems.

Decks require specialized oxygenated chemistry, two-stage pH neutralizers, and hand-wand sweeping rather than fast rotary decks.

Poured concrete flatwork is cleaned rapidly using a 20-inch stainless steel rotary surface cleaner at 3200 PSI ($0.12–$0.18/sq.ft). Decks cannot tolerate rotary cleaners; every single board must be washed board-by-board with continuous feathering strokes to avoid stop marks. The table below outlines the exact cost drivers:

We refuse to wash decks coated with peeling solid acrylic latex paint. Pressure washing leaves a patchy, half-peeled mess.

Solid deck paints (deck overcoat products) do not behave like penetrating stains. They form a thick film on top of the wood. Once that film begins peeling from trapped moisture underneath, low-pressure washing will blow off the loose flakes while leaving bonded sections completely intact.

Turning up pressure to 3000 PSI to strip the remaining paint will destroy the soft pine wood beneath long before it lifts the bonded acrylic film. Stripping solid paint requires mechanical diamond grinding or specialized caustic chemical strippers, which is a restoration carpentry discipline. We tell you this candidly during inspection and will not perform a service that leaves your deck half-peeled.