Platform Decks

Cleaning a deck without a pressure washer?

I have a small rooftop "deck" in Manhattan that is in serious need of cleaning. Being on the roof, though, I have no way of getting a hose up there, and if I tried, I'd probably be evicted. Are there any alternatives to spraying the deck with a pressure washer after using the deck cleaner? All of them seem very adamant about the "rinse with pressure washer" part. The deck is a 7' x 7' platform composed of 2 x 4's and rises about 7" off the ground.

Public Comments

1. You could use buckets of water and a brush. Or, seriously, try to time the wash just before a rain. I have done this with cars and driveways. Its the perfect season for it. Use environmentally safe products though. Good luck.
2. In a word "ELBOW-GREASE" OK maybe that is two words. The only other way that will help to get it clean is to use a stiff bristled brush and scrub it. You can do it either on your hands and knees or get the type of brush you can screw a pole handle into. I prefer the pole handle because you can "lean" on the pole and get a more aggressive "brushing" action. I have used bleach solution on decks that have a green slime on them (this is a mold/mildew build up). It kills the mildew and can discolor the wood a bit (turn it black where the mildew was).