Step-by-step plan: clean and thoroughly clean the terrace

A wooden deck is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the outdoors, but cleaning and thoroughly cleaning the deck is required to preserve its natural beauty. In this article, we provide a step-by-step guide to cleaning your deck so you can enjoy it for longer.

Are you ready to clean the patio? We are happy to help you get started with a step-by-step plan.

1. Ensure that surface dirt such as sand, leaves, and branches is removed from the surface.
2. Lightly dampen the entire patio with water. Use a watering can or garden hose for this.
3. Apply the Power-Gel generously and evenly with the brush.
4. Let the Power-Gel work for 20 minutes.
5. Brush the Power-Gel out with the Patio Brush and plenty of water. This should remove the graying.
6. Allow the surface to dry for at least 24 hours before applying an Osmo exterior finish.

Is the patio not yet completely de-grayed after one application? Then repeat the process until all graying is gone.

Wood is a natural material that is sensitive to chemical reactions. Many general cleaning products used to clean your deck contain chemicals that are too aggressive for wood and can lead to drying out, discoloration, or even damage. Therefore, it is important to choose products specifically intended for cleaning wooden surfaces. Although it might be tempting to quickly clean a wooden deck with a pressure washer, we would not recommend it. The intense force of the water can cause the wood fibers to split, making the surface rough and causing it to wear and discolor faster. Furthermore, a pressure washer can inject water very deep into the wood, which can lead to problems such as wood rot and mold growth.

It is better to remove deeply ingrained dirt and graying using Osmo's Power-Gel Wood De-grayer. This product is specifically designed for cleaning outdoor wood and has a formula that penetrates deeply to effectively remove dirt, algae, and graying from the wood. Moreover, the Power-Gel is based on natural ingredients, which means that the cleaner is not only kind to your patio but also to the environment.

Although cleaning your patio with a pressure washer might seem like an effective and environmentally friendly method, we would rather not recommend it. For both tiled and wooden patios, a pressure washer can cause a great deal of irreparable damage. The force of the spray damages the top layer of the tile, making the tiles rougher. As a result, dirt and grime will penetrate the tiles more easily, meaning you will have to clean more often. It is no different for wood: with a pressure washer, you not only blast away the dirt but also damage the wood. This causes the wood to dry out, become rougher, and turn gray or rot more quickly. This is certainly undesirable for your wooden patio.

Now that the patio is clean again and looks top-notch, you naturally want to keep it looking beautiful for as long as possible. To achieve this, proper maintenance is essential. Try to clean the patio thoroughly at least twice a year, for example at the beginning and end of the outdoor season. You can do this, for instance, with soapy water and an all-purpose cleaner and a mop. Do you want to clean the patio really well and remove dirt and algae without letting it turn completely grey? Then it is best to use the Osmo Patio Cleaner.