Elite Soft WashComposite Deck & Vinyl Fence Cleaning That Kills the Green for Good
Composite decking and vinyl fencing were sold to you as the low-maintenance option, and they are, right up until the green shows up. Neither one rots, but both feed algae and mildew in Maryland humidity, and neither can be sanded or re-stained to hide it. Cleaning is the only fix. We clean Trex and other composite decks, vinyl and PVC fences, and traditional wood too, all at low pressure with the right chemistry for each material.
Why Composite Decking Still Goes Green
Composite is wood flour and plastic, and the wood half is food. Algae and mildew settle into the embossed grain, which is exactly the texture that makes the board look like timber. You cannot sand it back or re-stain over it the way you can with pine, so the only route is cleaning. The catch is that a pressure washer on a composite cap leaves permanent wand marks that no amount of later cleaning removes. We use a soft wash: detergent does the work, the rinse stays gentle, and the board keeps its finish.
Why Vinyl and PVC Fences Go Green at the Base
A vinyl fence panel sits in still air near the ground, gets watered by the sprinklers, and holds moisture against the bottom two feet. That band goes green first, every time, and shaded runs along a tree line go green all over. Vinyl is easy to clean and easy to ruin: too much pressure drives water behind the panels and into the rails, and abrasive scrubbing dulls the surface so it chalks faster afterwards. Our detergent lifts the growth off and the panel comes back white.
What We Clean
- Composite decking: Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon and similar
- Vinyl and PVC privacy fences, panels, and gates
- Pressure-treated pine and cedar decks
- Wood fencing, pergolas, railings, and stairs
- Deck stairs, hot tub surrounds, and landings
Our Process
- 1
Identify the material first. Composite, vinyl, cedar and pressure-treated pine each take a different mix. Guessing is how decks get damaged, so we confirm what you have before anything is switched on.
- 2
Test out of sight. On composite and older vinyl we clean a small area you cannot see and check the result before committing to the whole surface.
- 3
Apply and dwell. Detergent onto pre-wetted boards so nothing dries blotchy, then time to break down the growth at the root rather than just loosening the top of it.
- 4
Gentle rinse. Low, even pressure with the grain. No fur on wood, no wand stripes on composite, no water forced behind a fence rail.
Wood Decks and Fences Too
Wood is still a large share of what we clean, and it is the one material where cleaning genuinely restores color rather than only removing growth. Maryland humidity turns pine and cedar gray within a few seasons, and most homeowners assume that means re-staining or replacing. Usually it means the oxidation layer needs to come off. Under it the original color is intact, often dramatically so.
The Proof
Before & After
Real results from real DMV jobs. No filters, no tricks.
Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Will pressure washing damage my Trex or composite deck?
It can, permanently. A pressure washer on a composite cap leaves wand marks in the surface that no later cleaning takes out, and most composite warranties tell you not to do it. We soft wash instead: the detergent lifts the algae and the rinse stays gentle.
Why does my composite deck grow mold when it is supposed to be low maintenance?
Composite is wood flour mixed with plastic. The wood half feeds algae and mildew, and the embossed grain that makes the board look like timber gives the growth somewhere to sit. Low maintenance means no staining and no rot, not no cleaning.
Can you get the green off the bottom of my vinyl fence?
Yes, and it is the most common fence job we do. The bottom couple of feet stay damp from sprinklers and ground contact, so that band goes first. It comes back white without scrubbing, which matters because abrasive scrubbing dulls vinyl and makes it chalk faster.
Will you strip the stain off my wood deck?
A standard clean preserves sound stain and removes the growth sitting on top of it. If your stain is already failing, we will show you before touching anything.
Can I stain right after cleaning?
Give the wood 24 to 48 hours of dry weather after washing, then it is ready. Composite and vinyl need no finish at all, which is rather the point of them.
How much does deck cleaning cost in Maryland?
Typical decks run $150 to $400 whether they are composite or wood; fences are priced by linear foot. Firm quote before we start.
How long will it stay clean?
Usually one to two years. Composite and vinyl tend to hold longer than wood because there is no finish to break down, though a shaded fence line will always go first.
Composite, vinyl or wood, the green comes off. Get your free deck & fence quote.
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