There are a few ways to make your deck look new without professional power washing. First, you can use either store-bought cleaners or dish soap and water to mop your deck regularly to clean off accumulated dirt. To clean your deck and remove mold, mix two gallons of warm water with a ½ cup of distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, rinse the area, and then scrub with a stiff-bristled broom.

The cost to professionally pressure wash your deck is $150 on average. This cost can range from $100 to $600, depending on the size of your deck and its condition. 

For an average deck of about 300 square feet, you can expect to pay around $100. However, if you have a spacious 1,000-square-foot deck or more, expect that cost to be closer to $300 to $400. Likewise, if it’s been a long time since you deep cleaned your deck, the deck professional might need extra time and to use deck-specific detergent, which will increase the overall cost.

You should have your deck professionally cleaned twice a year—once in the spring and once in the fall. A springtime cleaning wipes away grime and mold that accumulated during the wet winter months, making it sparkly clean for summer use. Likewise, cleaning your deck in the fall allows you to wash away grease and leftover mess from the fun summer months rather than letting them soak into your deck over the winter.

Yes, you need to thoroughly clean the deck surface before staining your deck. Dirt, debris, and mildew can settle on the surface of your wood. If you do not properly clean it, these stains will get trapped between the wood and the stain. Not only does this present an unsightly surface, but your wood will only partially be protected by the stain, meaning you'll need to stain again sooner.

There are ways to clean your deck to help maintain a clean appearance. You can easily remove surface-level dirt and grime by wetting your deck with a hose and doing a quick scrub with store-bought deck cleaner monthly. 

However, investing in professional deck cleaning services near you at least twice a year is worth it. This service saves you time and ensures that your deck will avoid accidentally becoming scratched by blasting the pressure washer at the wrong angle.