How do you soap a wooden deck?

1.  Scrub the deck clean with warm water and soap.
A dirty or moss-infested deck cannot be treated.
– Wet the wooden deck in sections and then scrub with warm water and soap. You wet the deck because applying pure soap directly to dry wood can cause greasy stains. BUT if you have a badly worn deck where you are not so worried about soap stains, -yes then you can start scrubbing directly. Feel free to scrub the entire deck like this. It is easier with a levang = scrubbing brush with a long handle. When you do this, you will see if certain areas need to be scrubbed more carefully. If necessary, do so.

WARM water + soap = you use to clean.Perhaps you have heard or read someone say "Only cold water on wood."
Quite right, but that applies when it is clean. If the deck is not clean … for example, where the grill has stood or where a pot has left stains, it will not work with just cold water; you need warm water there to clean first. Then you can use cold water and soap to treat.



Rinse / wipe away loose dirt, things that have been scrubbed loose. If the deck is clean, then that is not needed. But if you have scrubbed off moss, lichens, soil, and dirt, then it actually has to be removed.

If you have now scrubbed and seen that dirt, lichens, algae, etc., have come loose, then you should rinse / wipe away the dirt before you start with cold water and soap. Let it dry and examine the result. WARM water + soap = you use to clean.

2. Cold water + soap = you use to treat

If you want an even more treated, soft, smooth, and "waxed" surface, then you wipe/scrub the deck with cold water and soap until you are satisfied.

Mix 1 liter of fatty Västerbottenssåpa with 10 liters of cold water, a scrubbing bucket. Soak a cloth in the soap-mixed water and "wipe" / "swab" the surface. You do not need to work with the scrubbing brush very hard for this step. However, wiping lightly with a softer levang is good. Cloth over levang is perfect.

The principle here is that the surface should absorb the excess fat in the soap.
Repeat this until you are satisfied with the surface. With each application, the surface becomes more saturated, "waxed," and smooth. The result is like a smooth old-fashioned scrubbed floor.
Soaped decking never becomes glossy like when you oil. The result is matte and comfortable to walk on barefoot. Another advantage is that the surface does not become sticky and therefore does not attract dust and pollen, i.e., easier to keep clean.

• How many times should you repeat the treatment with cold water and soap?
  The answer is that you repeat until you are satisfied. Porous woods that have dried out will need more soap. Hardwoods and pressure-treated wood need less soap.

How much soap should I have in the water to soap the patio floor?
How do you measure?

Add soap until the water feels fatty. We recommend 1 liter should be enough for about 35m2 BUT this depends, of course, on how many times you choose to repeat and whether it is a porous pine floor or a solid, hard larch floor. You simply have to decide for yourself when you are satisfied.

What do I need to soap the deck?

– Overfatted soap
– Cloth
– Bucket
– Levang preferably a hard one and a soft one.

Does it not get slippery? No, as long as the soap soaks into the wood, it does not get slippery. If you notice that the soap no longer soaks in and that a lot of soap remains on the surface – then the wood is saturated and done. Then wipe up the excess and enjoy the patio. It does not matter much which cleaning agent you use; if you use too much, it will be slippery, BUT it is still much more common with dried-out wood than over-saturated wood.

Finally, this you should NOT do

It can be very tempting to use vinegar after seeing less well-founded tips online. DO NOT do it. Vinegar is an acid, and acids and wood are not a good combination. Wood wants fat, oil, wax, or soap, not acid. Moreover, algae and lichens thrive much better in an acidic environment than in an alkaline one. Now, the friend of order points out that strong vinegar also kills algae and moss. True, but with the first rain, it is diluted, and the environment becomes again a perfect breeding ground for moss spores. Acid also dries out wood, and sooner or later, cracks and splinters form in dried-out wood.

The only time you should use acid on wood is if you have encountered severe stains, water stains, or other stains that do not come off when you soap-scrub. Then you can use oxalic acid to get rid of the stains, but it is a good idea to re-grease and treat such a surface after oxalic acid treatment. Keep in mind that oxalic acid (which can be bought in paint stores) is strong, so use gloves and protect other materials nearby. Be careful that children or animals do not get access.
Tip: Rhubarb naturally contains a lot of oxalic acid, and it may well work to remove the stains with rhubarb.

This you should also avoid?

Also, avoid degreasers for the same reason – cracks and splinters form sooner or later when wood dries out. It is very tempting to quick-scrub with dish soap or other degreaser, but it is a quick fix that is not so successful. Wood wants fat, not to get rid of it.
Feel free to take a look at the shelf for wood treatment the next time you are in a well-stocked paint store. Here you will find oils and waxes of various kinds – nowhere will you find degreaser for wood or acid (apart from the oxalic acid we wrote about earlier) There is a reason for that, we promise.

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Questions and Answers

- Why is soap a good alternative for treating wooden decking or a patio?
Soap is alkaline and deters the growth of algae, lichens, and mold, which helps to keep the surface clean and protected.

- When should you perform the soaping of the patio or wooden decking?
Soaping should be carried out in the spring before you start using the patio or in the autumn to keep the surface clean and protected from algae and mold.

- What type of soap should you use to treat wooden decking?
You should use a superfatted soap to avoid drying out the wood. Examples of superfatted soaps include Västerbottenssåpa and linseed oil soaps.

- How do you measure the soap when you are going to treat the patio or wooden decking?
You should add soap until the water feels fatty. A common recommendation is to use 1 liter of soap for about 35 square meters of surface, but this can vary depending on the type of wood and the desired result.

- What should you avoid when treating wooden decking or the patio with soap?
You should avoid using vinegar or degreasers on the wooden decking because these substances can dry out the wood and cause cracks and splinters in the long run. It is also important to avoid high-pressure washing to prevent damage to the wood.