What it is
Deck and fence cleaning brings weathered wood back to its natural color. Cedar, redwood, and treated pine all turn gray when UV breaks down the surface fibers and dirt and mildew settle into what is left. That gray layer is thin. Under it, the wood is usually still in good shape. We remove the gray layer, kill the mildew, and brighten the wood so it is ready to stain or seal.
Wood is the easiest surface to ruin with a pressure washer. Too much pressure raises the grain, leaves fuzzy fibers, and carves lines into soft boards. We clean wood with a wood-specific cleaner at low pressure, rinse it gently, and follow with a brightener that brings back the color and balances the wood for stain.
Equipment and method
Step one is a percarbonate-based wood cleaner applied at low pressure, left to dwell, and scrubbed where needed. Step two is a low-pressure rinse with a wide fan tip held well off the boards. Step three is an oxalic acid brightener that neutralizes the cleaner, removes tannin stains and gray, and opens the wood back up. Composite decks get a different, gentler cleaner.
We protect plants, siding, and any metal that should not get brightener on it. Once the wood dries, usually two to three days in Denver's dry air, it is ready for stain. We can quote staining as a separate service or leave it prepped for your painter.
What is included
- Wood-safe cleaner and a low-pressure rinse
- Brightener to bring back color and balance the wood
- Mildew and tannin stain treatment
- Composite deck cleaning with the right products
- Railings, stairs, and both sides of fences where accessible
- Stain-ready prep and an optional staining quote
Signs you need it
- Gray, silvery wood that used to be orange or red
- Black mildew spots near the ground or under planters
- Old stain that is peeling or blotchy
- Slick boards after rain
- Splinters starting to lift
The Colorado angle
Colorado sun is the number one enemy of wood here. At altitude, UV breaks down unprotected cedar fast, which is why a new fence can go gray in a single summer. Dry air then pulls oils out of the boards and opens checks and cracks. Hail dents and roughens soft boards. A clean and brighten every couple of years, followed by a UV-blocking stain, keeps wood looking right and lasting longer between replacements.
Quick answers
Will you damage my deck?
No. Wood gets low pressure, wood-specific chemistry, and a brightener. The cleaner does the work, not the pressure.
Can you clean composite decking?
Yes. Composite collects mildew and dirt in its texture. It gets a gentle cleaner and a soft rinse, with no brightener.
Do you stain too?
We can quote it. Many customers have us clean and brighten, then stain once the wood is dry. Others prefer to stain it themselves, and the prep is the hard part.
More questions? See the full FAQ or contact the crew.
