How To Steam Clean Wooden Decking

With A Powerful, Pressurised Monster Steam Cleaner

Why Steam Clean Decking?

When it's new, wooden decking looks smart and attractive, but after a few years of neglect it starts to look faded and dirty and it can become dangerously slippery when wet. This is because the grooves in the decking become filled with grime and flora like algae and moss which stick firmly to the wood surface and are not easily removed by just washing or sweeping.

Dirty Decking - Long Neglected

Cleaning wooden decking with a Steam Cleaner is not a quick or easy job especially if it has been neglected for a few years but it is well worth the effort because with a bit of hard work it is possible to bring the wood back almost to it's original condition. Then regular cleaning will involve far less effort to maintain that state of cleanliness.

Steam Cleaning decking using a Monster Pressurised dry steam cleaner uses far less water than a pressure washer. This means it is better for the environment, cheaper for your water bill, and far less messy. The Monster applies dry steam at 130°C which has a sterilising effect, inhibiting the re-growth of moss and algae.

Cleaning decking with a pressure washer can damage the wood - the high pressure water jet can force it's way into the porous wood surface - blasting the fibres of the wood apart, and making any splits and chips worse.

But don't just take our word for it

Mr Larry M of South Carolina USA writes

“ The school of hard knocks: (1) pay $1400 for a well known brand 13 HP 3000 psi pressure washer with super-dooper ocillating head, (2) really, really, really pressure wash dirty, but otherwise OK deck, (3) stand back to admire work, (4) arrange to have deck replaced, (5) pay contractor $9500 for new deck, and (6) place classified selling almost new pressure washer cheap. ”

With a Monster Steam Cleaner, unlike a pressure washer, you vitually eliminate the risk of damaging the wood - the Monster dry steam cleaning process is all but non-invasive. It restores your wood decking to near original condition without separating the fibres of the wood.

The Same Decking - Part Steam Cleaned

The Same Decking - Steam Cleaned

Decking - Mostly Steam Cleaned

Steam Cleaners

The following steam cleaners can be used for cleaning decking as described on this page. Please note that not included in the list are the Monster Floor EZ1, which is not designed for cleaning decking and the SC20, a handheld cleaner which is not suitable for cleaning floors of any type.

SC60| SC60 Plus

SuperClean Cleaners

The SC60 SuperClean can also be used for cleaning decking as described on this page. The advantage of using the SuperClean system is that the residual biocide CleanBlast Antibak is left on the surface and will prevent recolonisation of the surface by algae and bacteria for 7 days. Please note that not included in the list are the EZ2 SuperClean, which is not designed for cleaning decking and the 1200 SuperClean, a handheld cleaner which is not suitable for cleaning floors of any type.

SC60 SuperClean

Recommended Procedure

Tools required

Detail Brush

Detail Nozzle

2 Extensions

Floor Brush

Brush Adaptor

Small Brush

If your cleaner doesn't have the small brush we reccomend you purchase one as an optional accessory. It is posible to clean the decking using just the detail brush and the floor brush but the small brush makes the task much easier.

1. Sweep the Decking

Use a stiff bristled yard broom, and sweep well to remove all loose debris.

2. Clean a small area at a time

Don't give the dirt time to dry back on the decking. We found cleaning approximately 1 sq Metre at a time to be about right. The steam will emulsify the dirt and algae, so you will need to brush it out of the area you are cleaning then wipe it up with a cloth or mop. It will be easier if you keep the brushes clean, we kept an old washing up bowl full of clean water nearby and rinsed the brushes regularly by just dipping them in the water.

Don't press down too hard when cleaning, let the power of the steam do most of the work using the brush just to agitate the surface.

3. Use the Detail brush first

For stains and difficult areas the steam is more concentrated.

removing stains and difficult grime with the detail nozzle

Always work the brush along the grooves in the wood never work across the grooves

4. Then use the Small Brush

Work in long strokes pushing the emulsified dirt and algae forward out of the area to be cleaned.

steam cleaning decking using the small brush

Alternatively use the floor brush

steam cleaning decking using the floor brush

5. Wipe up the dirt using a mop or cloth

6. Rinse down the cleaned area

Use a small amount of water applied from a watering can and sweep it off the cleaned area using a stiff bristled yard broom.

7. Repeat as necessary

Clean a square metre at a time until the whole of the decking area is clean

The Final Result

Steam Cleaning with a Monster steam cleaner using dry steam really makes a difference.

The left hand side of the decking is steam cleaned

Close-up showing the left hand side of the decking has been steam cleaned