Make any necessary repairs. Before beginning the cleaning process, make sure no children have access to the area. In accordance with the directions that come with the cleaning solutions, it may be necessary to hose down the deck and surrounding area before applying cleaning solutions. The water can also help dilute any chemicals that may inadvertently come into contact with plants and grass. Even with mild solutions, care must be taken to limit the amount of solution that gets on nearby plants and grass.
Many solutions contain bleach, which is toxic to plants when in concentrated form.
The solutions can be brushed onto the deck using a broom, a spraycan, or can be sprayed on with a power washer under low pressure. After waiting the directed length of time for the chemicals to do their work, the deck should be thoroughly rinsed. This is the step where more power can be particularly helpful, as water under pressure more effectively rinses out both dirt and chemicals. However, too much pressure can gouge wood or cause the grain to become exaggerated. Within wood, the visible grain marks differences in density and hardness.