OxiClean vs. bleach

I finally got a chance to scrub the deck floor late this afternoon. It was green and black from all the rain and humidity over the past several months. It was pretty nasty looking.

I mixed up a bucket of water and OxiClean. About 5 heaping scoops of OxiClean in a full bucket. I slopped the solution on the deck and let it sit for a few minutes, then scrubbed with the long handled brush. The green and black stuff dissolved and came right off. That made me pretty pleased.

The next door neighbor’s son was over doing some yard work for his parents and he wondered what I was using. I told him and he claimed that a solution of water and bleach would work better. I would hardly even have to scrub. It would just bleach it right away. So I thought, sure, why not.

Well, I tried it and it didn’t do much as far as I could tell. Sure, it made the wood a little lighter, but it didn’t take the green and black slime off. I couldn’t even budge it with the brush. I rinsed everything thoroughly with the hose and went back to the OxiClean. Best stuff I’ve ever found for cleaning deck floors. Turns the crud into a paste and washes right off with a hose.

When it’s dried completely, maybe tomorrow, I will start applying the deck sealer and then life will be so much more organized. All the deck stuff is piled in the back yard and it’s driving me nuts. I can’t wait to start using the deck again.