How To Remove Pressure Washer Marks From Deck?

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Pressure washing your deck is an easy job, but there are certain things that you need to take care of. Cleaning the wood with a pressure washer can be a disaster if you do not follow the recommended procedure. 

High pressure on wood can cause them to get rough. Moreover, among the common problems in pressure washer cleaning, you can get washing marks that are not good and destroy the image of the whole area. If you are not careful and use a high-power pressure washer or use it too close, you can get these marks, but that doesn’t mean you have to replace the complete deck. 

This article will discuss ways to remove the pressure washer marks from the deck. So let’s get started.

Possible Ways Of Removing Pressure Washer Marks From Deck

You can have the pressure washer mark on either the wooden or concrete deck. These decks have different chemistry and require different chemical agents to remove the mark. Let’s discuss them one by one:

Wooden Deck

Experts recommend using oxygenated chemicals if you have the pressure washer mark on your wooden deck. You can also use oxygen-based chemicals to increase the look of wood, and applying them makes the wooden deck look much more elegant. 

Clean the surface with a dry mop or broom to remove any visible dirt or debris. Your surface must be free from all debris before you start to clean it. Pour the oxygenating powder on the wood surface and let it react for more than 2 to 3 hours.

Now, use the pressure to clean the wooden deck. Ensure you have the proper equipment and have fulfilled all the safety protocols to use the pressure washer. To rinse the surface, you will need a low-power pressure washer with a pressure of less than 800 psi. 

If you do not have a pressure washer with low pressure, it is better to use them from a distance of 2 feet or more. Use the wide-angle nozzle and spray the water to strike the surface at an angle of 45 degrees, increasing the rinsing efficiency.

The best way is to rinse the water with a pressure washer by taking it away. Start spray forward instead of backward so that you can easily maintain the angle and distance. If you have to shut the pressure washer, it is best to start cleaning from the other end.

Concrete Deck

Cleaning the concrete surface becomes very easy with the pressure washer. But if you do the cleaning without any proper planning and use the nozzle too close to the surface, then there are chances that you might get a streaking effect. These lines destroy the image of the whole concrete floor, and it is a challenge to clean them. However, you can clean them without problems if you know the right strategy.

Muriatic acid is the best thing to help you clean these marks. The process is called acid etching, but many call it acid washing. You must clean the surface with a brush or vacuum cleaner to eliminate unwanted dirt, dust, or grime particles. Also, make sure your acid is diluted before putting it on your surface. Fill the water in the bottle and mix the acid in it. 

The recommended concentration is 80 percent water and 20 percent acid. Now pour the acid on the concrete surface and leave it for five minutes. Scrub the surface with a good-quality brush to remove the stains. 

You can also add lime, baking soda, or ammonia to your surface while cleaning it with the brush. You should not leave the acid to dry on your concrete surface and immediately rinse it after cleaning using a garden hose. It would help if you did not use the pressure washer on the muriatic acid-treated surfaces, as it can cause it to go deep in concrete. 

You should follow all the safety instructions, as muriatic acid can be very dangerous and harmful. Do not apply this method on indoor surfaces, as it can cause severe consequences.

Safety Tips To Consider

You must follow all the safety protocols all the time. Wear proper gear, including a safety mask, goggles, gloves, and safe clothes to use with harmful chemicals. Do not use any unwanted chemicals when you are cleaning with muriatic acid.

Avoid Pressure Washer Mark

Pressure washer marks are not easy to remove and require valuable time and effort. However, you can easily avoid them using simple techniques:

  • Do not use the high-pressure nozzle without any significant need. 
  • Use the pressure washer in the left-right or forward-backward pattern and avoid spraying randomly. 
  • Do not spend too much time spraying on the same area, and make sure you do not clean any surface in haste.
  • Avoid using the pressure washer too close to the surface.
  • Make sure you are spraying at an angle concerning the surface.
  • Do not use the pressure washer to lift tough oil stains. Instead, use chemicals to get rid of these stains.
  • Make sure that you are using the right pressure washer for the job. Never exceed the recommended pressure range, or you might not only get the pressure washer mark but might also damage the surface permanently.
  • Make sure you are using the right chemical and do not use unauthentic or unrecommended chemicals.

Conclusion

This article discusses the methods to remove the pressure washer mark from the deck surfaces in this article. Pressure washers are very powerful equipment, and it is important to use them properly; otherwise, they can cause damage and unwanted results. If you have the pressure washer marks on a wooden deck, you can remove them with oxygenated chemicals, but if you have a concrete deck, it is better to use Muriatic acid. Make sure you clean the surface with the mop or brush before cleaning, and do not use the pressure washer to rinse the chemicals. If you need to use the pressure washer, then make sure that the pressure is not too high.

Jose Kelly
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