Composite Deck Care and Cleaning

Deck Care and Cleaning

To maintain the beauty of your Trex® deck, a little care and cleaning goes a long way. All exterior building materials require cleaning and a Trex deck is no different. For early-generation traditional composite products (Trex Accents®, Trex Origins®, Trex Contours®, Trex Profiles® or Trex Brasilia®), we recommend a semi-annual cleaning with a composite deck cleaner.

If your deck is one of the high-performance product lines from Trex (Trex Transcend®,Trex Enhance® or Trex Select®), soap-and-water cleaning or a gentle pressure washing will do the trick. Learn how to care for your deck by reading the information that applies to your decking product and get ready to enjoy maximum outdoor living with minimal maintenance.

Dirt and Debris

The affected area should be sprayed off with a hose to remove surface debris. Use warm, soapy water and a soft bristle brush to remove dirt and debris from the embossing pattern.

Chalk Lines

Most colored chalks are permanent. For Trex, use either baby powder or Irwin Strait-Line®* Dust-Off Marking Chalk available at www.irwin.com.

Tannins Due to Debris

Remove all debris from deck using a hose or broom. Once the deck surface is dry, apply a “deck brightener” ** to the deck as directed by the manufacturer. Deck brighteners contain oxalic acid, which will remove tannins.

Ice and Snow

A plastic shovel may be used to remove snow from the deck. Use calcium chloride or rock salt to melt the snow and ice from the deck surface.

Oil/Grease/Food

All food spills should be removed as soon as possible. The surface must be cleaned within seven days to maintain the stain warranty. To remove, spray off with a hose and use warm, soapy water and a soft bristle brush to remove spills from embossing pattern.

Mould and Mildew

If debris, such as pollen and dirt, is allowed to remain on the deck surface, mould can feed on the biofilm. Using a hose and warm, soapy water with a soft bristle brush is recommended to remove the food source and mould.

Using a Pressure Washer

A pressure washer with no greater than 3100 psi*****that has a fan attachment/adjustment and soap dispenser may be used to remove dirt, concrete dust, or other types of construction dirt. Spray deck with soap, then follow by gently scrubbing each deck board with a soft bristle brush.

Spray/rinse each individual deck board using fan tip no closer than 8″ from the decking surface. RINSE THOROUGHLY. If dirty water from cleaning is left to dry, this will cause a film to remain on the decking surface.

Maintaining Transcend and Select Railing

NEVER use acetone or other solvents on Trex Transcend and Select railing to maintain the beauty of the surface. For colour transfer issues (from the attachment of baluster spacer), use Mr. Clean^®, Magic Eraser^® Original*** or Magic Eraser^® Extra Power to help remove this. For small surface scratches, marks or scuffs, use Dupli-Color Scratch Seal™ Clear Sealer Pen.****

* Strait-Line is a registered trademark of Irwin Industrial Tool Company.
** Use of products containing bleach or acid will lighten the surface of Trex. Use in an inconspicuous area to determine whether you like the effect. Neither product will affect the structural integrity of Trex.
*** Magic Eraser is a registered trademark of The Procter and Gamble Company.
**** Scratch Seal™ Clear Sealer Pen is a registered trademark of Dupli-Color Products Company.
***** Use of a pressure washer greater than 3100 psi could damage the boards and void the warranty.

Downloads – Care & Cleaning Guides

Cleaning Video Guides