Make Your Salisbury Deck Look Weekend-Ready Again
Most deck damage doesn’t come from the dirt. It comes from the wrong cleaning process used on the wrong material. A composite board, pressure-treated pine, cedar, and Brazilian hardwood each ask for different chemistry and a different amount of pressure, and a single high-pressure approach fuzzes the grain, gouges the surface, and grays out the wood on all of them. That is where a lot of well-meaning deck cleaning goes wrong.
We match the process to the material every time, backed by wood-restoration training, letting the chemistry do the work at low pressure so your deck comes out cleaned and protected rather than blasted.
If your deck is past the point where a garden hose makes a difference, call us at (410) 251-0928 for a free estimate, and we will match the right approach to your specific material and condition.
How We Handle Each Deck Material
Pressure-Treated Wood
The most common deck material around here. We pre-soak the boards with water, then clean with a bleach solution without soap, and finish with oxalic acid, a wood brightener that brings back the color and opens the pores. That brightening is ideal prep for anyone planning to re-stain afterward.
Composite Decking
Composite decks are cleaned with our standard house wash mix, applied without pre-wetting. The main thing we watch for is pressure on older Trex-style composites that have a wood-fiber surface. Those get a gentler touch so the surface isn’t roughed up in the process. Newer capped composites are more forgiving, but we still let the cleaning solution lift the algae and grime rather than forcing it off, which keeps the finish looking factory-fresh.
Pool Deck
Concrete and paver pool decks are cleaned using our concrete process, with all spray directed away from the pool. The result is even, consistent cleaning across the whole surface with no wand marks.
Cleaning a Stained Deck or Getting It Ready to Re-Stain
If your deck already has stain on it, you have two options. Which one fits comes down to the condition of the finish that’s on it now, and we confirm that at the free estimate before any work starts.
Light Wash
Our crew has been through wood-restoration training focused on exactly this kind of work: reading a board’s age, wood type, and condition, then choosing the process that cleans it without overworking it. That training is why we can take on Ipe and other hardwoods that a lot of companies won’t touch.
Prep-to-Restain
Our prep-to-stain service uses sodium hydroxide to strip loose and failing finish and prepare the bare surface, which is what a deck ready for a fresh coat needs. One point we’re always upfront about: we prepare the surface; we do not apply stain or paint. This hands you or your painter a clean, stripped, ready-to-finish deck.
Why Homeowners Call Us for Decks
Trained in Wood Restoration
Our crew has been through wood-restoration training focused on exactly this kind of work: reading a board’s age, wood type, and condition, then choosing the process that cleans it without overworking it. That training is why we can take on Ipe and other hardwoods that a lot of companies won’t touch.
Dock and Pool Deck Expertise
Dock and pool deck surfaces require extra care, and that is where experience matters. We understand the environmental and water-quality considerations involved, so every job is handled responsibly, safely, and with attention to the surrounding area. Specialized care is not an upgrade. It is the standard you should expect.
Soft Wash That Protects the Wood
We use a soft wash approach, letting the chemistry do the work, not the pressure. That means a thorough clean without the risk of damage to your siding, roof, or surfaces.
Ready to See Your Deck Look New Again? Let’s Get Started
How We Clean Your Deck With Care
Estimate and Material Assessment
You call, text, email, or request online, and the office confirms the details and checks whether there’s anything else the visit should cover. Our sales rep comes out to give you an estimate, often same-day or next-day, routed by location. On-site, the rep confirms your deck material and, if the deck is already stained, which tier fits: light wash or prep-to-restain. You get a hard copy left at the door and a digital copy by email.
Scheduling and the Heads-Up
Once the job is booked, you get on-the-way texts and completion notifications automatically. There’s no fixed appointment window to sit and wait through; our crew routes by location so the work gets done efficiently. Because so much of what we do happens while homeowners are at work, that automatic notification is how you stay in the loop from start to finish without having to be on the deck watching.
Setup and Surface Prep
Our crew documents the deck with before photos, then pre-wets and rinses the surrounding plants and landscaping. For bare pressure-treated wood and cedar, the boards are pre-soaked with water before any chemical goes on, so the wood doesn’t drink in the solution unevenly.
The Material-Matched Clean
Now our crew applies the process matched to your deck: a bleach solution without soap on pressure-treated wood, the standard wash mix at controlled pressure on composite, sodium hydroxide to strip and restore Brazilian hardwood, a near-soapless mix on cedar, and the concrete process with spray directed away from the water on pool decks. Concentration is dialed in with a proportioner and applied with a 12-volt pump, so the chemistry, not the pressure, does the work. The primary cleaning agent is sodium hypochlorite; hardwood restoration uses sodium hydroxide.
Brightening Where It Applies
On pressure-treated wood and cedar, our crew finishes with oxalic acid, a wood brightener, to restore the color and open the pores. On a prep-to-restain job, the stripped surface is left clean and ready for a fresh finish. As noted above, we prepare the surface but do not apply stain.
Before-and-After Documentation
Before and after photos are taken through CompanyCam, and a record of the work goes to you, so you can see the difference on every board even if you weren’t home for it.
Walkthrough and Invoice
Our crew walks the finished deck with you, and the invoice only follows once you’re satisfied with the result. If something isn’t right, we want to hear it before we call the job done.
Our Commitment to Satisfaction
If there’s an issue, we’ll come back and take care of it. A legitimate problem after the job gets a return visit to make it right, and that stands on a long review history and reputation rather than on fine print on a contract.
Deck cleaning involves working around railings, stairs, furniture, siding, and nearby landscaping, which makes proper insurance coverage essential. We are fully insured, giving you and your decks added protection from the moment our crew arrives.
What Our Customers Say About Our Deck Cleaning
Common Questions About Deck Cleaning
Can you clean a deck that's right next to a fish pond or water feature?
It depends on the setup. If your deck is directly adjacent to a fish pond or sensitive water feature, we’ll need to adjust our process or assess whether we can safely take the job. A spot like that may call for a modified, lower- or zero-chemical approach, may cost more, and in some configurations may not be safe to service with our standard process. We look at all of this at the free estimate and tell you honestly what’s possible before any work starts.
How long does deck cleaning take?
Most decks take somewhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours. The exact time depends on the size of the deck, how dirty or weathered it is, the material, and whether it’s a straight clean or a strip-and-prep job. You’ll get a clear scope at the estimate so you know what to expect.
Do you stain or paint the deck after cleaning?
No. We clean, brighten, and, when needed, strip and prep the surface, but we do not apply stain or paint.
Get Your Deck Cleaned the Right Way
Every season a deck goes without proper cleaning is another season of algae, UV damage, and embedded moisture working against the surface. Clean Power Wash has been restoring decks across the Eastern Shore for over 20 years. Call (410) 251-0928 for a free estimate. Booking in January, February, or August? Ask about our off-season pricing.