August 11, 2025
Wooden decks look great, but some people don’t want to deal with the maintenance that comes with them. Composite deck boards are a great alternative. This stylish and practical option combines the best of both worlds: the strength of man-made materials and the organic beauty of solid wood. Even so, it requires some maintenance to always look its best, just like any other outdoor area.
Cleaning a composite deck isn’t difficult. With some work and the right information, you can keep composite decking looking new.
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Composite decking differs from traditional wood decking because it is made from a mixture of recycled plastic and wood fibers. While it doesn’t usually rot or warp, it can get dirty. If you eat outdoors a lot, then food scraps and grease will often fall onto your deck. Before you clean your deck, let’s take a look at the most common ways it gets dirty:
Decks made from composite materials make it easier to enjoy the outdoors. While they don’t require as much maintenance as solid wood, they still need some cleaning to stay in tip-top shape. But don’t let the word “easier” make you think “never.” These composite decking boards won’t split or bend like wood. But if you clean them regularly, they will look good for a long time.
Capped with an HDPE layer, Capped Composite Decking is made excellent at resisting stains, scratches, weathering, and fading.
View MoreWhen the weather gets warmer, most will be entertaining, living, and eating outdoors. But these daily activities can stain your deck. Dropped food, possible mold, and drink stains can make your deck unsightly. If you are using a traditional wood deck, then you may not be able to completely remove the dirt from the surface of the deck. You can only resand, stain, or paint to remove these stubborn stains.
The composite deck is made from a blend of recyclable plastic and wood fibers. The properties of plastic make composite decking less likely to absorb water. Grease or other substances are also less likely to stain composite decking, so you can remove dirt and stains from the deck more simply. This is one of the reasons why composite decking requires low maintenance.
During the winter months, you will also need to safely remove snow and ice. With excellent waterproof and anti-slip properties, composite decking allows you to clean better and safer.
In fact, if you like the style and beauty of natural wood decking, you can achieve that with a composite deck and still not have to maintain it as often! Leaving you with more time to enjoy life.
Just as you wouldn’t start a job unprepared, you need to be prepared before cleaning your composite deck. Before you start cleaning, give the deck planks a quick sweep with a broom or leaf blower. This will remove loose dirt and debris such as twigs and leaves. Once the surface is clean, remove all furniture to ensure that even hard-to-reach areas are cleaned.
Before using any cleaning products, make sure you rinse the deck area with a garden hose. This will remove loose dirt and help the cleaning products work better. If you choose to use a pressure washer, be careful. When using a pressure washer, be sure to use a fan nozzle and the manufacturer’s recommended PSI setting to avoid damaging the deck boards.
Use some mild soap and lukewarm water, or use a special cleaner for composite decks. You can usually find composite deck-specific cleaners at hardware stores or online. Be sure to follow the instructions for the cleaning product.
Being environmentally friendly and cleaning your deck are two things that concern many people. There are many green products available to keep it clean and harmless.
When cleaning composite decking, use a soft-bristle brush or a deck brush with soft bristles. The best way to clean is to brush with the grain. Don’t forget to clean corners, rails, and small gaps between boards.
After scrubbing each part of the composite deck, it’s time to rinse the soap off. You can use a garden hose to rinse off the suds with some pressure. Be sure to rinse the deck well so that you don’t leave soap or dirt behind to form a film on the wood.
If the stain is unusually stubborn, this cleaning method may not remove the stain. If this happens, do not just use harsh bleach. This may cause damage to the composite deck boards.
Consult the deck manufacturer to see their approved list of stronger cleaners. Composite decking manufacturers have a standard list of cleaners that you can refer to in order to clean your composite decking.
Over time, your composite decking may face other problems such as mold, food and drink stains, etc.
The following are the best ways to eliminate common problems with composite decking.
Although mold can also develop on the surface of composite decking, it does not damage the composite deck. It just adheres to the top of the composite decking, which may be mold-produced after some kind of debris has fallen off.
The best way to remove mold from composite decking is to use the soapy water-cleaning method mentioned earlier.
Leaves, twigs, and other items often accumulate on decks, especially if there are trees nearby. This general debris will not harm the deck, but it can become moldy if left uncleaned for a long time.
The best way to clean the deck in this case is to sweep or blow off the debris.
Over time, dirt can sometimes accumulate in the small grooves between the flooring. If this happens, it is also necessary to use soapy water to clean it.
If this does not remove the dirt between the boards, use a pressure washer.
You may not believe it, but most food and drink stains, including the dreaded red wine stain, can be wiped off with dry paper towels!
If paper towels don’t remove food or drink stains from your deck, they can be removed using simple soap and water methods.
This is what sets composite materials apart from wood decks. On a wooden deck, these stains can be permanent. But removing food and drink stains from composite decking is really easy!
Whether you have an outdoor kitchen or prefer to grill outdoors. Many people like to cook and prepare food on their decks. This means that some oil or grease may occasionally be left on the deck.
We should remove the grease quickly to avoid permanent staining. To remove oil and grease from composite decking, use the soapy water cleaning method. If done quickly, this will remove the oil and grease without leaving a stain.
If there are plants near the deck, you may see a thin layer of pollen on the deck. Don’t worry, pollen will not cause long-term damage, but it should still be removed quickly.
The best way to completely remove pollen from a composite deck is to power wash your deck. We will explain more about power washing your deck below.
Hard water contains a lot of minerals such as calcium, silica, and lime. When the water dries, it leaves a bad-looking substance on the surface. This is not a problem with composite decking products but with the water.
White vinegar can usually be used to clean these deposits from the deck. Be careful not to use hard water because it needs to be rinsed. If hard water must be used, dry with a cloth or hair dryer. Hard water spots can sometimes be cleaned with a product that brightens the deck.
One of the most common maintenance questions we get on Google for cleaning composite decking is.
“Can I power wash my composite deck?”
We can tell you, “Yes, you can – but be careful!”
When power washing your composite decking, make sure you follow these four rules.
While you won’t be using your deck much during the winter, you still want to composite decking and make sure it’s safe to walk on. To remove snow and ice from your composite deck, you should be careful to use the right tools and materials to avoid damaging the surface of your deck.
If you have the right shovel, you can shovel snow from composite decking without damaging the deck.
Shovels with metal edges can scratch and damage composite decking. To avoid this damage, make sure you use a shovel with a rubber edge. This will safely remove snow without scratching or damaging the deck surface.
During periods of light snow, you may not even need a shovel to clear your deck. Many homeowner brooms remove light snow less than 1-2 inches.
Some homeowners have long decks. If there is a lot of snow, they may be tempted to use a walk-behind snow blower to remove the snow.
This is not a good idea! Just like a metal-edged shovel, a snowblower can cut and damage composite decking. Therefore, we do not recommend using a snowblower to clear snow from above laminate flooring.
Snow removal with a plastic shovel or leaf blower is very basic, but they will not remove a thin layer of ice from the deck.
Remember, you cannot use any type of metal edge or object to remove or break the ice. While this method will remove the ice, it will also damage your deck.
We recommend the use of calcium chloride ice melt, which is usually safe for composite decking. This compound is very effective at melting ice without damaging the composite surface.
We do not recommend the use of traditional sodium chloride rock salt. These particles tend to leave unsightly and permanent marks on composite decking.
To keep your composite deck looking and performing well, prioritize the following simple maintenance steps:
It is very important to clean composite decking regularly so that it stays warm, bright, and long-lasting. In order for your composite decking to last longer and look better, you do need to clean and maintain it properly.
However, if you want to take your deck to the next level, the COOWIN composite deck is the way to go. With our expert advice and high-quality products, you can make your outdoor space truly reflect your style.
Composite decking is a man-made deck board that serves as an alternative to conventional timber decking. It is an eco-friendly, low-maintenance, and durable decking solution that combines wood fibers and plastic with a binding agent. It effectively resists common wood maladies, such as rot, cracking, and insect infestation, while retaining the natural appearance and embossed texture of wood.
Composite decks are easier to clean because they are designed for low upkeep. This is thanks to its fully enclosed cap, which helps prevent moisture from entering. In addition, the composite decking material has anti-fouling and anti-fading properties.
Yes, you can use dish soap to clean composite decking, but you need to dilute it first with warm water. However, this will not produce the best results. For best results, apply the specialized deck cleaner with a brush suitable for the type of material and follow the cleaning instructions.
Yes, you can power wash composite decking, but simply for rinsing (no soap required). To avoid harming the material, use a fan tip nozzle with a maximum pressure of 1,500 PSI. Keep in mind that pressure washing will not clean your deck thoroughly. Keep power washers away from the deck surface when in use.
You may clean your deck as necessary. We recommend washing your composite deck at least twice a year, especially when temperatures exceed 55 ℉. Typically, it is ideal to clean your deck when the seasons change, such as from winter to spring or summer to autumn.
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