wet down the adjoining surfaces (such as plants, lawn, or house siding) with a hose. Minimize any water landing on the wood to be cleaned. Consider shielding plants and house siding with drop cloths to prevent contact with the detergent.
Use the pressure washer to “rinse” the surface. Avoid holding the nozzle too close to the wood or holding it in any one spot too long. Hold the pressure wand about 8” away from the wood and “sweep” it off in a rinsing motion. Use a “golf swing” motion, and avoid washing each square inch of the wood. Keep the wand moving smoothly over the surface to avoid leaving marks on the wood. Proper technique determines the results, so take some time to practice when you are able to.
Once the entire surface has been washed (and is still wet, but without puddles) apply Wood Britener to the wood with your pump up sprayer. This will neutralize the pH of the wood and brighten it. You may let Wood Britener dry on the wood overnight without rinsing it off.
The wood is now clean, and it needs to thoroughly dry before it can be sealed (at least a day or two). As the wood dries, you will see a bright, clean, new-looking surface. Now your ready to seal the deck, for more information on how to seal decks with the brands we use, visit the deck sealing page at Sun Brite Supply of Maryland.
We highly reccomend that you hire a professional pressure washing company! Deck restoration and pressure washing is not something we reccomend for DIY'ers due to the amount of damage that can be caused. It takes a lot of experience and time to learn how to pressure wash.
Do you really want to practice on property your paying thousands of dollars a month for?