Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - after i pressure wash a deck?

i have a cedar deck. i was going to pressure wash the deck and reseal it. i was told it was a good idea to scrub the deck after i pressure wash it.

why would i do that and what would i use?

using bleach. does that sound right?

The use of bleach is to kill/remove the mildew. 30-50% bleach mixed with water. Sometimes stubborn stains need a little scrubbing to remove them. To clean the deck - wet deck, spray on bleach mixture, let set [not dry] and rinse. Any areas not clean you can scrub or spray again. Make sure everything is rinsed well. Avoid too strong a bleach mixture or to much [or close] pressure on the deck - it will raise the fibers and will require sanding to get smooth.

Why would you plan on using bleach just because your deck is cedar???

I have a treated wood deck thats about 15yrs old are there any suggestions to what I can clean it with and then restore it
Thanks

thwood: Use a soft brush and scrub the deck with the weak bleach solution first. Then pressure wash to make sure all the bleach is gone. Better to use a high pressure garden hose than a pressure washer.
Normally I suggest an oxygenated bleach, but from what I've read that is bad for cedar.

Ron: use an oxygenated bleach. There are some good commercial celaners on the market, such as PDC (premium deck cleaner). You may want to also use a deck brightener before staining.

I think oxygenated bleach[percarbonate based cleaner] may darken the cedar, but that is it. It can be brightened with some deck brightener and will look fine. Besides the fact that bleach[clorox]is not good for any wood I just don't like the way it makes a deck look. It will kill mildew better than percarb based cleaners. I didn't see any mention of mildew though it is a good idea to a$$ume it is there and should be removed before refinishing.

I would use a product like Problem solver wood cleaner this (http://www.cabotstain.com/towoca_htm/prosel_body.cfm?type=ext&cabot=1) followed by a cabot or sikkens stain. The darker colors will last longer than the lighter ones. These products can be recoated without stripping :wall:That spf stuff looks interesting too. I wish somebody would try it. :D

-scrub deck with soft brush, look into wood cleaner, (bleach may kill mildew but be bad for wood - weaken it - not a bad answer though if i can't find a good wood cleaner
-pressure wash
-wait two weeks after i pressure wash before i put stain on
-get a garden sprayer to apply stain

one question:
do i need to wait two weeks before applying stain to let deck dry after i pressure wash it??

thanks, you guys are great.

--get a garden sprayer to apply stain

one question:
do i need to wait two weeks before applying stain to let deck dry after i pressure wash it??

.

Although a garden sprayer will spray Thompsons and other thin sealers I doubt you will be able to spray most stains with it.

It all depends on the weather conditions. You just want to make sure the wood is dry.