How do I clean my front porch steps?

Question

We bought our house 8 years ago. We have three or four wooden steps that lead up to our front door and recently the wood has gotten dirty and it looks uninviting. There's usually dirt and green stuff [mildew?]on the steps.

How can I get rid of the mildew and dirt properly and make them more inviting? :)

Answer 1

the easiest and probably best way to do it would be to replace them, but if you don't wanna go that rout, you could sand them down and put a seal on them like Thompson's water seal with stain, but before you sand them, get a scrub brush and scrub them down with soap and water and let them dry before you start sanding.

Answer 2

A simple bleach and water solution is probably your best bet. Use a scrub brush and the bleach solution to scrub the steps.

A lot of people are not aware of this, but plain sand also makes a good cleaner for bare or treated wood. Sand is abrasive, and can get down into the cracks of the wood to remove dirt buildup.

Wet your steps with a bleach solution, then sprinkle some sand onto the steps. Use a brush, or even an old broom to scrub the steps with the mixture. The sand will only help get the steps cleaner and can be rinsed away with a hose. Once you have removed all the mildew stains, you may want to consider giving your steps a "sand scrubbing" about once a month. You would be surprised at the difference in appearance after you scrub the steps with plain sand and water. The abrasive property of sand helps remove dirt from those little crevases and cracks in your wood.

Answer 3

You can use a 1:1 chlorine bleach/water solution and a stiff brush to scrub the steps, rinsing immediately, or pressure wash them.  Yes, rubber gloves and eye protection is a good idea.  Let them dry for a day and put a penetrating oil sealer on to preserve the natural wood color and keep the fungus from coming back.  There are several sealer products available so you can inquire at your local building supply.  

Answer 4

For about $100 you may be able to get a water pressure pump about 1550 psi or more. using this will take away all dirt. You may also rent it for minimal time. Concrete driveways get a new look also.

Answer 5

Dirt on wooden steps is normal, but green stuff indicates that their is moisture somewhere.  Check under you deck or porch to make sure you don't have a water leak or water draining under.  Are your steps shaded by a tree?  Sometimes algae grows on wood under trees.  Their is a deck and porch cleaner you can get to restore the beauty of your wood.  If you want to use clorox bleach it is safe.  Mix 3/4 bleach to l/4 water and put on the wood. Use a stiff brush, preferably with a long handle to scrub the affected area. Be careful not to splash on your clothes or in you eyes.  It is best to do this when the sun is directly on the area you a bleaching.  Let set for a day and then wash with water.  You might have to use this process again to thoroughly clean the areas.

Answer 6

My suggestion would be to pressure wash, let dry, and seal with Penofin or paint with a good outdoor paint.

Answer 7

Grab some bleach and a sponge - scrub away, and kill that mildewish stuff. Then take a hose and rinse it down. That's how I'd do it.