Spring Cleaning Advice for your Duradek Deck

Finally! Winter has come to an end and the promises of spring are starting to be revealed with an increased amount of sunshine for many of us as we happily ease into peak season for deck use.

While we anticipate the many barbecues, family events and social gatherings that take place on our favourite outdoor living spaces in the coming months, now is the perfect time to give your deck a really good cleaning to prep it for a long season of enjoyment.

Duradek deck owners can happily start enjoying their outdoor spaces while neighbours with wood decks are procrastinating the labour intensive maintenance required before the leisure time begins...but even Duradek decks need a little TLC in the form of cleaning. Particularly if you've used rock salt or other ice melting chemicals throughout the winter months, you need to give your deck a thorough cleaning before the sun can 'bake' any of those chemicals into your deck surface.

EYA Builders, twice named America's best builder had made good use of thoughtfully planned spaces in their homes which often includes roof decks waterproofed with Duradek. With over 4,000 homes in over 30 neighbourhoods in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC, EYA builders takes great care of its customers by providing maintenance advice for various features of their newly built homes. This video on cleaning Duradek is one of the ways EYA helps its customers enjoy the fabulous features of their homes and we thought we'd share it with you.



So remember these simple tips for proper care of your deck:

1 - Give your deck a seasonal cleaning.
While all cleaning products are not always available in every market, your best option is to use a cleaning product that states it is safe for use on vinyl. Choose a gentle cleaner and always follow the manufacturers recommendations for use. Here are a few popular examples:

• Vinyl Deck Cleaner (available from Duradek)
• Simple Green
• Tide Detergent (diluted)
• Cascade Powdered Dish Detergent (diluted)

2 - Give your deck a gentle scrub.
Use a soft bristled broom or brush, but be careful to not apply too much pressure that might wear down the embossed pattern of your vinyl.

3 - Be sure to rinse off all cleaning residue very thoroughly.

While Duradek is manufactured with UV and mold inhibitors, in some rare cases mold growth can be a frustrating issue with a little more work required to clean. If you are experiencing mold on your Duradek, you may want to read this article on mold removal which features an excellent case study by Duradek MidAtlantic on how to identify and combat mold.

Cleaning your deck is a comparatively easy, maintenance free alternative to the sanding, staining, painting and sealing required from other deck systems to keep it looking great.

Just invest the few minutes it takes to clean your deck seasonally and you will have a deck you want to show off for many years like these happy Duradek deck owners.

If you don't yet have a Duradek deck and would like a free estimate for the best option in low maintenance decking, contact a Duradek dealer in your area.

We hope you enjoy creating a ton of happy memories on your deck!

How to Clean Fungus and Mold off Duradek Vinyl Deck Membranes

Any permanent outdoor surface needs to be cleaned from time to time, and your vinyl deck is no exception. While the benefits of having a vinyl deck include no sanding, staining or re-coating of any kind, your deck will look its best with a seasonal cleaning (about 4 times a year).

Sometimes, however, there are contributing factors in your environment that may cause you to require more than a general cleaning on your deck's surface. One of these factors is mold and fungi which in some areas under certain conditions can be a troublesome maintenance issue like that experienced by some homeowners in Florida experiencing green and black growth on their metal roofs.

The bottom line is that it is difficult, if not impossible, to control all of the factors that contribute to mold growth and your best defense to keep your vinyl deck clear of fungus and mold is a general cleaning 4 times a year.

Step One - Start With a General Cleaning

Ideally, your vinyl deck should be cleaned at least four times per year (more often if acid rain or airborne pollution is a problem in your area) using Duradek vinyl cleaner which is available from your authorized Duradek contractor or directly from Duradek. Follow the directions on the label.

This cleaner is designed for vinyl and will NOT leave a harmful chemical residue like many household cleaners may. Use warm water and a stiff broom, scrubbing in a circular motion to loosen the dirt. Spray with a garden hose (under pressure) to wash away the loose dirt. Flush thoroughly with clean water.

Note: It is very important to remove all residue from cleaners used on your deck. While the cleaner itself may be gentle enough, it is when the sun 'bakes' the chemicals into the surface that your deck can experience discoloration.

Step Two - Mold and Fungi Removal Recommendations

Sooty Mold - Image from USDA Forest Service.

Both Artillery Fungus and Sooty Mold have similar cleaning procedures. For plastic and painted surfaces that might have sooty mold, the USDA recommends:

• 1/3 cup powdered household detergent
• 1 quart household liquid bleach
• 2/3 a cup of Trisodium phosphate
• 3 quarts of water
• (be sure to use rubber gloves when cleaning with this solution)

Clorox® recommends using their "Outdoor Bleach" product diluted at a rate of 1 part Outdoor Bleach to 6 parts water, as per their recommendations for cleaning vinyl surfaces. Apply early or late in the day when the membrane surface is cool to the touch. Apply solution with a garden sprayer and allow to sit on the surface for a minimum of 10 minutes. Re-apply the solution to areas that begin to dry during this period.

Use a soft bristle brush on a pole to scrub the membrane surface. Small remaining spots can be cleaned using a firmer bristle brush. Then rinse the entire area thoroughly with a garden hose.

Note: at the time of publishing this article, Clorox® Outdoor Bleach is not available in Canada. When using any cleaner, make sure the manufacturer recommends their product is suitable for outdoor vinyl products and their written instructions are followed.

Sooty Mold on vinyl deck - before cleaning.
Photo by Duradek MidAtlantic.

Duradek vinyl deck - after cleaning off sooty mold.
Photo by Duradek MidAtlantic.

Details on Common Mold and Fungus

Artillery Fungus are dark raised spots about the size of a pencil tip that do not melt into a larger circle. For further information on how to control established Artillery Fungus in ground cover, see this document from the Penn State University website.  

Sooty Mold is a dark fungi which leaves dark spots or darkish areas which look like, well, soot. For further information on how to control Sooty Mold, go to Virginia Tech website.  

If you are experiencing hard-to-remove mold on your deck, you may be interested in reading this excellent case study that was conducted by Duradek distributor, Duradek MidAtlantic which documents the diagnosis and removal of Sooty Mold.

Refer to Case Study - Diagnosing and Removing Mold From Duradek

See also, Duradek's Care & Cleaning Recommendations for your Duradek Vinyl Deck.