Swab the deck

For our rooftop deck, we eschewed the typical wood in favor of a composite material - TimberTech. One advantage of TimberTech is the low-maintenance. I like that.

Of course, over time, things happen and some stains on the deck are inevitable. The deck is only 13 months old, but we had a couple of stains from growing things in containers. The TimberTech people recommend cleaning the deck once or twice a year with a special cleaner - Corte Clean - made specifically for composite materials, so I bought some.

Naturally, you also need a pump sprayer to apply the stuff. And a five-gallon bucket.

Mix the product in one gallon of hot water, stir till dissolved, then load the gallon into the pump sprayer and lay it on thickly over about 100 sq ft of deck at a time. Which I did. Here's a before picture...


And here's the "after" picture.


I see no difference at all, AND the obvious stains left by a couple of containers are still there. Big whoop. But I probably didn't apply the product perfectly. As with so many products, the instructions are a little off.

I get so tired of products that give contradictory information on their labels. You're supposed to apply this stuff in direct sunlight. Lay it on heavy. Let it sit for 10-45 minutes after applying. (If we're in direct sun, it is going to dry). Don't let "dirty" product dry on the deck (say what?). Keep it wet. Well, if you lay it on heavy, there is no product left after covering the deck. If you apply it during direct sunlight, it is going to dry out well before 10-45 minutes. Keep it wet. There's none left!

Meanwhile, we finally got some bird netting for the tomato plants. None too soon. Those little suckers are relentless on the fruit.