Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - deck cleaning

My wood deck has mold or algae growing on it . What is the best non toxic biodegradeable product to use. Thanks

Rent a gas driven 2,000 psi or more pressure washer with a red tip. Unless it's really bad, you won't need any chemicals.

You have to be carefull with a pressure washer!! Too much pressure can chew up the wood and you will need to sand to get it smooth:eek:

I've always used bleach because it's cheap and effective. Rinsing well, delutes the bleach enough where it won't harm any of the nearby plants [protect them from direct bleach/water spray] There are some cleaning products that are more diy friendly, Jomax is one of them. I like to spray the cleaner on with a pump up garden sprayer and rinse with a pressure washer.

You can rinse off the deck with a garden hose or a pressure washer. A PWer makes the job easier but don't use the red or 0 tip - it will chew up the deck! The white or yellow tip will work fine. A pressure washer is a good tool but care must be used to prevent damage.

There is no reason to be afraid of a red tip & there is no reason to work so much. It really makes it easier.
A red tip won't damage the deck if you keep the correct distance & you'll be done in a few hours.

How much distance do you advise with a zero tip? A zero tip can cut a hole thru plywood in short order. Even on concrete a red tip can change the appearance where a clear finish will look bad. I rarely use the red tip on my PWer even though it's one of the smaller gas units.

We both know that the deck isn't made of plywood & plywood or even birch can be destroyed a lot easier than pressure treated. 3 or 4 feet away from the surface is fine for pressure treated. It's really not a problem.

No doubt I have far more experience with pressure washers than the original poster but I'm sure he can handle it.

The reoccuring problem I see most from diy pressure washing is chewed up or fuzzed up wood which is caused by too much pressure.