How to Clean Trex Decking

You probably love your Trex decking because it’s durable and low-maintenance. But you still have to clean it occasionally to keep it looking great.

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You probably love your Trex decking because it’s durable and low-maintenance. But you still have to clean it occasionally to keep it looking great. Semi-annual cleanings in the spring and fall will also help prevent mold growth.

Here’s how to test for mold in your home.

How to Clean Trex Decking

If your deck was built with Trex’s Enhance, Select or Transcend decking, this is what you should do:

  1. Spray the deck with a hose to remove surface dirt and debris.
  2. Clean the deck with a soft-bristle brush and warm, soapy water. (Trex doesn’t specify a brand of soap, so a dish soap such as Dawn is a good choice.) The brush will ensure you’ll get any dirt in the embossed pattern.
  3. To remove tannin stains from debris, such as leaves, apply a commercial deck brightener once the Trex decking is dry. Make sure to follow the manufacturer instructions, and check to see if the product contains bleach or acid. If it does, it will lighten the color of your Trex decking, so apply some on an inconspicuous area first to see if you like the look.

Next, check out the Trex patio furniture worth splurging on.

How Do You Remove Grease from Trex Decking?

Don’t rely on semi-annual cleanings to remove grease stains from your Trex decking. If you ever spill grease, oil or food on your deck, clean it up immediately. If you don’t wipe up these spills within seven days, any resulting permanent stains will not be covered under the Trex stain warranty.

Here are some hacks for removing grease stains from clothing, rugs and furniture.

Can You Pressure Wash a Trex Deck?

If you prefer to pressure wash your Trex decking, that’s fine. But, the pressure washer cannot be greater than 3100 psi or it could damage the decking, which would void the Trex warranty. To clean with a pressure washer, first spray your deck with commercial pressure washer soap. (Buy some now on Amazon.) Next, scrub each board with a soft-bristle brush. Finally, rinse each board thoroughly, using a pressure washer fan tip that’s no closer than eight inches from the surface.

Pressure washing can be fun, but here are some things you should never pressure wash.

Decks created from earlier-generation Trex products should not be pressure washed, because doing so may damage the decking materials. Instead, clean with warm, soapy water as noted above. If you spill food, grease or oil on your deck, immediately clean the area with hot water. Any remaining stains should be cleaned with Pour-N-Restore, a commercial cleaner.

Follow these simple steps, and your Trex decking will look great for years to come. Check out 10 Trex deck ideas we love.

Then learn our best tips for selecting Trex decking colors.

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Melanie Radzicki McManus
Melanie Radzicki McManus is an outdoors enthusiast specializing in travel. She has won many awards for her writing, most notably four prestigious Lowell Thomas Awards, considered the Pultizers of travel writing. McManus is the author of "Thousand-Miler: Adventures Hiking the Ice Age Trail." Her work has appeared in Backpacker, the Chicago Tribune, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, How Stuff Works and dozens of other publications.