To clean a wooden deck with bleach, mix a bleach-detergent solution, apply the solution to the deck with a push broom, scrub the deck clean, and rinse the deck with a hose. You need water, bleach and powdered laundry detergent to make the cleaning solution.
- Prep the deck area
Place tarps over ornamental plantings around the edge of the deck. Wet down nearby grass with a garden hose. The water dilutes any bleach spills.
- Mix a cleaning solution
Pour 3 quarts of warm water into a 5-gallon bucket. Add 1 quart of household bleach and 1/3 cup of powdered laundry detergent. Do not use a detergent that contains ammonia. Stir gently to mix.
- Apply the cleaning solution to the deck
Dip a stiff-bristled push broom into the cleaning solution, and brush the solution onto the deck boards. Wet the broom in the solution as necessary.
- Scrub the deck
Rub the push broom back and forth against the deck boards to remove dirt and debris. Do one section at a time, scrubbing repeatedly to deep clean the deck surface. Apply more cleaning solution, if necessary.
- Rinse well
Spray the deck down a few times with a garden hose to rinse away the cleaning solution. Avoid letting the solution sit on the deck for an extended period of time.
