How to Remove Stains from Composite Decking

Your composite decking is a brilliant space to relax with your friends and family. Given that you have spent a considerable amount of money on your new beautiful composite decking, you are going to want to keep it looking good. You will probably take extra care when eating or drinking on the deck. On the other hand, we understand that accidents may happen, and there could be spillages of some sort on your decking due to an event such as a summer BBQ with family members that may have had too much to drink. 

Cleaning stains from the surface of your composite decking

The first thing you should try in an attempt to remove a stain is using warm soapy water and a soft brush. This is also what we recommend for general cleaning. Certain stains will come off with a bit of elbow grease and some soap, whereas some may be a bit more stubborn.

Unfortunately, the reality is that this method is not going to have a 100% success rate with certain stains.

If warm soapy water and a cloth / soft brush fail, what should I try next?

People are often worried that vinegar is too strong to apply to a composite decking board; however, it has been proven to work against stubborn stains without damaging the surface of your decking.

Due to vinegar’s acidic properties, it has the power to remove various stains and has been used to treat both composite and timber decks in the past.

How do you use vinegar and baking soda for stain removal?

1. Pour vinegar directly onto the stain.
2. Pour baking soda directly onto the stain.
3. Wait roughly 20 minutes
4. Whilst you are waiting, get a bucket that you can use to mix a solution
5. Get ½ cup of white vinegar/apple cider vinegar and pour it into the bucket
6. Get a ¼ cup of baking soda and pour it into the bucket
7. Pour a gallon of water into the bucket
8. Thoroughly stir the solution for a few minutes
9. Let the solution sit for a couple of minutes to ensure all particles have dissolved.

You are now ready to use the solution to clean your decking.

Simply get a warm cloth and soak it in the solution. Scrub the surface of the decking where you want to clean it. If all steps were followed correctly, this should remove stains caused by ketchup, grease, rust, red wine and algae.

Once you have done this, you can get a hose and rinse the remaining solution on the surface of the decking to prevent the vinegar from drying on the decking. You can also use a pressure washer to do this. However, you must make sure you keep the jet wash 8-12 inches away from the surface in order to avoid breakage and the loss of colour pigments on the surface.

Conclusion

If you notice a stain or spillage on your decking, do not panic! If you have spotted the stain early, you have a very good chance of being able to remove it. As discussed, first try a general clean with warm soapy water and a cloth or soft brush and then if this fails, you can try vinegar and baking soda.