Cleaning a deck? This is the deck cleaner we rate highest

Deck in desperate need of cleaning? These are the products that’ll make it good as new

How to clean a deck
(Image credit: Sadolin)

After a long winter, your deck’s probably accumulated dirt and debris, and maybe it’s gone a little green as moss and algae have thrived in the damp conditions, so you’re probably good and ready to get out there and clean. 

There are a couple of ways to clean a deck. The first is to use one of our pick of the best decking cleaners – more on those below. Picking our top buy (again, see below), makes the job pretty easy, especially if you tackle it on a warm(ish), dry day and enjoy being outside anyway. 

Another way is to use one of the best pressure washers you can afford (again, we have a guide). These need a bigger budget (to buy or hire) and storage space if you've bought it, of course. 

We'd always start with a decking cleaner for a low-effort way to clean up a deck. If yours is a huge deck or hasn't been cleaned for quite some time, a combination of both decking cleaners and pressure washers might be needed. Anyway, read on for tips and recommendations – and for more, see our full guide on how to clean a deck.

Our favourite decking cleaner

Our top deck cleaner is Cuprinol Decking Cleaner. This nifty cleaner will not only remove dirt and grease from your decking, plus kill mould and algae that have accumulated, but it will also get it ready for re-staining or oiling – something you should do annually to keep your deck protected from the elements. Here's how to use it:

1. Just apply by brush, spray or watering can with a rose. 

2. Next, you’ll need to tackle the deck with a stiff brush.

3. That done, then rinse with water. 

The best news? This cleaner will sterilise the surface of the deck to protect against regrowth of nasties, too.

Our next best decking cleaner – no scrubbing required

Like the idea of a no scrubbing required solution to your dirty deck? Then check out our number two deck cleaner. Pro-Kleen Patio Cleaner simply needs spraying on with a watering can or pump sprayer, then leaving. You’ll just need to keep children and pets off the deck until it’s dry. 

If your deck’s in particularly desperate need of revival, you might have to re-treat these areas, but we've had great results without scrubbing, which (you won’t be surprised to hear) we’re all for.

Sarah Warwick
Freelance Editor

Sarah is a freelance journalist and editor writing for websites, national newspapers, and magazines. She’s spent most of her journalistic career specialising in homes – long enough to see fridges become smart, decorating fashions embrace both minimalism and maximalism, and interiors that blur the indoor/outdoor link become a must-have. She loves testing the latest home appliances, revealing the trends in furnishings and fittings for every room, and investigating the benefits, costs and practicalities of home improvement. It's no big surprise that she likes to put what she writes about into practice, and is a serial house revamper. For Realhomes.com, Sarah reviews coffee machines and vacuum cleaners, taking them through their paces at home to give us an honest, real life review and comparison of every model.