Gray, weathered boards, green algae film, and years of ground-in grime washed off your deck and fence with the pressure each material can actually take. Wood, composite, and vinyl each get their own method, and every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
What Spokane Weather Does to Wood
A deck or fence in Spokane takes a beating from both ends of the year. Summer UV breaks down the surface fibers of the wood, turning it silver-gray. Then the long damp season feeds algae and mildew, especially on shaded runs of fence and the deck boards under trees or furniture. Add pine pollen and sprinkler overspray, and after a few seasons even a well-built deck looks tired.
The gray itself is not rot. It is a thin layer of dead, UV-damaged fibers sitting on top of sound wood, and it washes off. That is why a proper cleaning is so satisfying: the color that comes back is the wood that has been there all along.
The Right Pressure for Each Material
The fastest way to ruin a deck is to point a rented pressure washer at it on full blast. Too much pressure furs the surface, raising a fuzz of broken fibers, and can carve permanent wand lines into softwood like cedar. Each material gets its own approach:
- Softwood decks (cedar, pine): Low pressure with a wood-brightening detergent doing most of the work. The wand never gets close enough to etch.
- Pressure-treated decking: Moderate, even passes with the grain, followed by a thorough rinse.
- Composite decking: Manufacturer-safe pressure and a cleaner that lifts the mildew film composite is known for, without voiding the surface texture.
- Vinyl fencing: Soft wash. Vinyl scuffs and cracks under high pressure but comes perfectly clean with detergent and a gentle rinse.
- Wood fencing: Low pressure, panel by panel, both faces where access allows.
Railings, balusters, steps, and skirting are part of the job, not extras. The whole structure gets cleaned, because a bright deck floor under a grimy rail reads as half a job.
The Right Prep Before Stain or Seal
If you are planning to stain or seal, cleaning first is not optional. Stain applied over gray fiber and algae bonds to the dead layer, not the wood, and it fails early and unevenly. A proper wash takes the surface back to sound fiber so the finish soaks in and cures the way the can promises.
After cleaning, wood needs to dry before finishing: a few dry days for most decks in summer. We will tell you honestly when the wood is ready, and if you are doing the staining yourself we are happy to leave you a clean, ready surface and get out of your way.
What to Expect on Service Day
- 1. Free estimate: Tell us the material, rough size, and condition. Deck plus fence together is the most common booking.
- 2. Prep: Furniture, planters, and grills are moved or worked around, and nearby plants are pre-wetted and rinsed after.
- 3. Wash: Detergent dwell, then even passes with the grain at the pressure the material allows.
- 4. Walk-around: A final check with you, including anything we noticed, like loose boards or popped nails.
How Often Does a Deck or Fence Need Cleaning?
Every one to two years keeps most Spokane decks and fences ahead of the gray and the algae. Shaded, damp runs lean annual; sunny, open structures can stretch longer. If you are on a stain cycle, plan the wash as step one of every re-coat. And if the green film is already making the deck slick in the mornings, that is a safety reason to clean, not just a cosmetic one.