Fences made of cedar and other types of wood provide beautiful borders of protection around a home. However, many homeowners are uncertain about how to clean these surfaces so that they stay looking new for many years. As experts in the exterior cleaning of homes, here is some advice about how to clean a cedar fence before staining and wooden fence cleaning tips for general care.
Softwashing for Wooden Fences
There are a few different ways that you can approach cleaning your wooden fence, including scrubbing it by hand and power washing it with a high-power stream of water and harsh chemicals. However, the best way to clean a wooden fence is soft washing. This method is far less labor-intensive than getting down on your hands and knees with a brush, yet much gentler than high-pressure systems. By comparison, pressure washers are more likely to damage your wood, resulting in costly and time-consuming future repairs.
Softwashing is ideal for all types of wood fences because the cleaning products used are water-based, non-hazardous, and bleach-stable. It actually brings out the natural color of your wood so you can reveal the unique colors and textures. We can apply the solution at various strength levels based upon the level of cleaning your fence needs. For example, heavily soiled fences with excessive dirt and grime may require a stronger solution than lightly soiled surfaces with mild organic growth.
How to Clean a Cedar Fence Before Staining
Regardless of what type of wood your fence is made of, it’s very important to clean fences before staining them. This ensures that the stain you apply will properly adhere to the wood and make it look fresh and new again. Cedar fences, in particular, tend to turn gray with age, so it’s a good idea to clean and stain the wooden boards regularly. However, cedar is very resistant to rot and warping, which makes it one of the most popular materials for household fences.
The most cost-effective way to clean your cedar fence before staining it is to hire a professional soft washer to get the job done right. This way, you won’t risk destroying your wood or inadequately clean it and leave residue behind that will get stuck under the stain.
Dangers of Leaving Your Wooden Fence Unkept
If you ignore a dirty fence for too long, you run the risk of it developing mold, mildew, and algae growth over time. Eventually, your beautiful wooden fence may actually begin to rot away, which would be such a shame.
Softwashing is an excellent way to remove all of these materials to restore the integrity and longevity of your fence. At Precise Softwash, we understand the toll that New Jersey weather can take on wooden fences, and we have the tools and expertise to get yours looking amazing once again.
How Often to Clean Wooden Fences
Another question that many homeowners often have is how often they should clean their wooden fences. We recommend having your fence professionally soft washed at least once per year. Fences that are cleaned yearly are much easier to paint, stain, and repair if weather damage occurs. So essentially, the cost of cleaning will pay for itself when you take into account all of the other savings you’ll have. But if you wash your fence on a more infrequent basis, you’ll have to put more time, effort, and money into the cleaning process.
So, before winter comes, call Precise Softwash at 866-971-2847 to come out and professionally clean your wooden fence in advance of the cold and snowy weather. This is an ideal time to have your fence washed in order to help prevent the growth of mold, mildew, and algae for the wet months ahead.
