What Is the Best Way to
Clean Composite Decking?
60-second answer from Southeast Michigan's most trusted deck builder — voted Nation's Top Deck Builder two years running.
Best Way to Clean Composite Decking: Simple and Effective
The best way to clean composite decking is also the simplest: water, a little Dawn dish soap, a soft-bristle brush, and a garden hose. That is it. The best way to clean composite decking does not require special chemicals, expensive cleaners, or power equipment — and as Matt Kinsler of Custom Deck Creations points out, the rain honestly does a lot of the cleaning on its own.
Video Transcript
Question: "We now have a finished deck. It's beautiful, I love it. I got to keep it clean. What do I use?"
Matt Kinsler: "Yeah, it's really quite simple. As far as cleaning goes, really all you ever need is water and some Dawn dish soap. A little bit of Dawn dish soap in a bucket with a scrub brush — similar to how I wash a car in the driveway — just scrub the deck down and hose it off with the regular hose. You should be looking good as new."
Question: "Like a soft bristle brush?"
Matt Kinsler: "Yeah, like a soft bristle brush. Similar to how you wash a car in the driveway. And that gets in the grooves and it really grabs all the gunk off the deck — especially what falls from the trees, you know, springtime and in the fall. Really just gets it nice and clean. The rain honestly does a lot of the cleaning. So a little bit of water goes a long way."
Best Way to Clean Composite Decking: Step-by-Step
Here is the best way to clean composite decking using the method Matt recommends — the same approach used by our professional crews at the end of every build:
🌧️ Pro Tip from Matt: "The rain honestly does a lot of the cleaning. So a little bit of water goes a long way." For routine maintenance between deep cleans, Michigan's natural rainfall keeps composite decking remarkably clean on its own. A full soap-and-brush cleaning once or twice a year is typically all that's needed.
Best Way to Clean Composite Decking by Season
The best way to clean composite decking varies slightly depending on the time of year. Here is a quick seasonal maintenance guide for Michigan homeowners:
| Season | What to Clean | Recommended Method |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Pollen, tree buds, seed pods, winter grime | Full Dawn + soft brush + hose clean |
| Summer | Food, grease, drink spills, bird droppings | Spot clean with Dawn solution as needed |
| Fall | Fallen leaves, tree sap, debris in grooves | Full Dawn + soft brush + hose clean |
| Winter | Snow and ice | Leave snow; plastic shovel only if needed — see winter guide |
Custom Deck Creations Serves All of Southeast Michigan
We design and build custom Trex composite decks, deck resurfacing projects, and outdoor living spaces for homeowners across Southeast Michigan — with the TrexPro Platinum certification, A+ BBB rating, and 5.0 Google rating to back every project up.
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