Two Tips For Spring Cleaning Your Wood Fence
After the long, cold days of winter, it is exciting to see daylight getting longer and temperatures getting warmer. As someone who loves to entertain outdoors during the warm months, now is the time to get all parts of your patio and garden looking fabulous. Many homeowners overlook their wood fences while tackling the to-do list in spring, but it is the perfect time to incorporate annual cleaning. Not only will the fence look great while you and your guests sit outside, but it also extends the life of the fence. Consider which of these two cleaning techniques are the best choice for your fenceline.
Pressure Washing
Pressure washing is a fast, easy way to get your fence clean. If you do not own a pressure washer, you can hire one from your local tool rental company. However, before you start the pressure washer, you must inspect your fence for signs of damage.
Pressure washer sprayers shoot high-powered water at the object you are cleaning. If there is internal rot within your fence posts or rails, the force of the water causes irreparable damage to those areas because any cracks or rot will break apart. Inspect the fenceline and have rotten boards and posts replaced before you start washing.
Additionally, once the washing begins, keep the pressure washer on a low setting. A low pressure still removes algae, mould and mildew from the wood, and it does so without pushing significant amounts of water into the wood. Excess water in the wood can warp it.
Hand Washing
If you don't want to hire a pressure washer, you can also clean your fence by hand. The downside of doing it this way is it will take longer, and you will need to use chemicals to help get the fence clean.
Firstly, use a stiff brush to get as much excess mould and mildew off the fence boards as you can. You can purchase chemical cleaning solutions at your local hardware store. But bear in mind these are strong chemicals, so buy a solid set of gloves while you are there. Prepare the chemical solution as per its instructions and also follow these for how to put it on the fence and how long it should soak. Once this time is up, wash away with clean water.
Whichever method you use to clean your wood fence, make sure the grass and plants against the fence are protected during the cleaning process. You don't want to destroy these by either poisoning them with chemicals or blasting them apart with high-pressure water.
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