How to Remove Algae From Your Deck

A deck should be both attractive and functional — and algae take away from both of those characteristics. It adds an unsightly layer of gunk over your otherwise gorgeous deck and makes it slippery, which severely impacts how well you can keep your footing. 

Fortunately, knowing how to get rid of algae is relatively straightforward, especially if your dock is made of a durable, easy-to-clean material like the plastic of EZ DOCK. Let’s take a closer look at algae removal, including what cleaners you should use and how to clean the deck.

Deck Cleaners

Choosing a deck cleaner might be easier than you think. You’ll need something noncorrosive and won’t hurt the material of your deck or the environment. For plastic decks, choosing a cleaner can be as simple as mixing soap and water.

You can find commercial deck cleaners available, but a soap and water solution are simple, safe, affordable, and effective. Just be sure your soap doesn’t contain any harsh ingredients harmful to the environment, like phosphorous or ammonia. Other safe and affordable materials you can use include baking soda and white vinegar.

Deck Cleaners to Avoid

Since most of your deck cleaner will get washed off into the water, it’s critical you don’t use anything harmful to wildlife or water quality. You don’t want to use any:

• Chlorine bleach.
• Phosphorous, phosphates, or phthalates.
• Ammonia.
• Antibacterial substances or disinfectants.

Ingredients like these can contribute to algae blooms and oxygen depletion, causing nutrient pollution and damaging the health of the water. Always check the ingredients list, and view the Environmental Protection Agency’s website for safe product recommendations. If an item is listed as part of the Safer Choice program, it meets certain standards for low aquatic toxicity and has been deemed safe for contact with aquatic life. 

How to Clean a Deck

Deck cleaning is a pretty straightforward process, whether for a plastic EZ DOCK, wood, or aluminum. However, you may need to be careful with wooden docks because pressure washing can splinter the surface. They may also require specific cleaning ingredients based on the type of wood used. Aside from using light pressure and applying any specific cleaning solutions, wooden decks require a cleaning process similar to plastic docks.

For plastic decks, simply scrub your soap-and-water solution onto the deck with a soft-bristled brush, then wash it off when you’re finished. You can also use a pressure washer at this point to pull up any hidden algae within the crevices.

On wooden decks, cleaning is more difficult and must be done more frequently, as it’s essential to keep the deck in good shape. Plastic decks gain the advantage when it comes to cleaning because it’s only needed for aesthetics and removing slippery material.

Contact Us to Learn More About Your Dock Maintenance

The nature of the plastic materials makes it simple to maintain your EZ DOCK. Have any questions on the process? We’re here to help. Reach out to us for more information on EZ DOCK maintenance and algae removal.