How to Clean Outdoor Cedar Projects

All exterior wood projects will eventually weather and fade from exposure to the elements -  even wood that’s been stained, painted, or sealed. And even though its reputation for outdoor durability is well deserved, red cedar is no exception ;  a cedar garden bed or greenhouse in a sunny location will fade from red to silver in a matter of weeks from UV exposure. Fortunately most people seem to delight in the attractive silver color of weathered cedar, and their new cedar project couldn’t fade from red to sliver fast enough.  Give it few years, though, and you may want to freshen up the appearance of the wood a little. And if you do decide to clean your cedar garden beds, chicken coop, or potting bench, here are two ways to approach the task that will help keep your cedar wood project intact and help protect your family and landscape. 

Wood Cleaners

The most important consideration with wood cleaners is the impact the product will have on nearby plants and trees, not to mention pets and your family. This can’t be overstated, and stories abound of overzealous homeowners killing trees and landscape plants with harsh wood cleaners that contained bleach or toxic chemicals. If your cedar project has become shabby enough to need a heavy-duty, toxic cleaner, it may be time to replace the wood instead of trying to clean it.

Non-toxic cedar cleaning products that contain no bleach - like Wash Safe Cedar Wash or Strip & Brite from Timber Pro Coatings -  are your best bet. Both are powerful cleaners with no harmful fumes, and that are safe to use around people, pets, and vegetation.  Strip & Brite is a two-step cleaner for outdoor wood surfaces brightens heavily weathered, discolored wood. It’ll wash away mildew and strip off transparent and semi-transparent oil-based stains, but won’t strip acrylic stains, silicone or latex products, urethane, or paint. Choose one of these non-toxic wood cleaning products, and your plants and trees will love you for it! 

Pressure Washer

A pressure washer may just be the way to go, but before you begin, remember ;  pressure washers are powerful tools, and if you’re not careful, can damage your cedar project. Start slow and take it easy - you’re gently cleaning the wood surface, not etching your grocery list on it. For soft woods like cedar and pine, use the lowest pressure setting that still gets the job done - 500 or 600 PSI should be about right, but never go above 1200 PSI when cleaning wood. And you probably won’t even need to add a cleaning solution to get the results you want -  try cleaning with just water, first, and see how it goes.

The goal is an evenly clean appearance, with no missed spots or small strips of dirty wood. To achieve this, use a fan-tip with a 40-60 degree spread, and move the wand with a sweeping motion, with the tip at least 6” away from the surface of the wood. Spray with the wood grain, and move your body and arm laterally, back and forth to help maintain a consistent distance between the spray tip and the surface of the wood.