NewTechWood Care and Cleaning Guide
IMPORTANT: BEFORE YOU START
- Using a pressure washer is applicable, with a wide fan tip, but only at pressures under 1,500 psi and at a distance of 12″ (300mm) above or away from the product. Exercise extreme caution when using a pressure washer because your product can be damaged.
- Failure to remove debris from gaps may result in staining, mold, and mildew from forming.
- NEVER use a METAL shovel to remove ice or snow from an UltraShield deck.
- Oil / Grease / Food must be removed from the surface within a reasonable amount of time to maintain the 25 – Year Limited Stain Warranty.
- Varying degrees of mold and mildew will occur due to the amount of heat and moisture present in your region.
- Exercise caution if walking barefoot as footwear may be required.
| Problem | Solution |
| Dirt and Debris | Surface debris should be sprayed off with a hose. Use warm soapy water and a soft non-metal scrub brush to remove dirt and debris within the embossing pattern. Scrubbing in the direction of the grain is best. |
| Tannins | Tannins can form when organic material gets stuck within the gaps of the deck and water starts to pool under it. Therefore, it is best to remove the debris within gaps with a garden hose, spatula, or soft broom. Keeping the gaps clean will reduce the chances of tannins from forming leaving your deck cleaner. |
| Ice and Snow | Use calcium chloride or rock salt to melt the snow and ice. The buildup of calcium chloride and rock salt may occur leaving a white residue, which can be easily removed with warm soapy water and a soft non-metal scrub brush. |
| Oil / Grease / Food | All oil/grease/food spills must be removed promptly. To clean use warm soapy water and a soft non-metal scrub brush. Grease and oil may require an all purpose cleaner if warm soapy water and a soft non-metal scrub brush do not work. Be sure to check with manufacturers on which cleaners are appropriate to use on your deck. |
| Mold and Mildew | Mold and mildew occur periodically in everyday environments. Therefore, surface mold and mildew can appear on the deck if decaying organic material such as, but are not limited to, wood, leaf decay, and pollen are present along with elevated temperatures, air, and water. There is no way to completely eliminate mold and mildew, therefore, we can only minimize the occurrence by removing these decaying organic materials as quickly as possible. If mold and mildew are present use warm soapy water and a soft non-metal scrub brush to clean. |
| Irregular Heat sources / Fire | Composite decking has the tendency to retain heat whenever presented directly or indirectly to it. Irregular heat sources, such as, but not limited to, fire pits, fireplaces, and barbecue grills, and fire may damage the surface of UltraShield decking. Proper caution should be taken when from irregular heat sources and fire to ensure no damage occurs to the deck. |
| Masonry Construction | During masonry construction, the deck must be covered AT ALL TIMES preferably with a sheet of tarp or construction-grade plastic film. Mineral deposits, leftover from construction, can mix with water and evaporate Leaving deposits behind which creates a white/haze on the deck’s surface. To prevent this problem ensure that masonry/cement construction is set properly before ever installing the decking material. If mineral deposits are left on the deck’s surface, regular maintenance is required in order to maintain the original look of the deck. |
Mineral Deposits
Mineral deposits appear on the deck surface when regular cleaning of UltraShield does not occur. These deposits appear because of rain mixing with runoff from roofs, soil/dirt, pathways, and etc. When evaporated on the deck it creates a haze on the deck that can be washed away if seen within a certain time period. If overtime this haze is not cleaned it can build up and create layers that are more difficult to clean.
Note: In certain environments, mineral deposits can appear more rapidly and seriously, to keep mineral deposits from reappearing NewTechWood recommends cleaning the boards at least once every 2 weeks.
In this guide we will show you how to take care of mineral deposits that build upon the deck’s surface. Materials/Cleaners In Figure 1 you can see the cleaners and materials that you will need to clean up the mineral deposits. You will need the following materials:
- Towel
- Bucket
- Water
- Soft Bristle Brush or Broom
- Dishwashing Gloves
Note: Always wear gloves when dealing with any of the following cleaners.
The following cleaners we recommend using to wash off the mineral deposits:
- Household/Laundry Detergent
- Vinegar
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Note: Do not use any other cleaner that is not recommended on this list because it could potentially damage the deck’s surface. Also, never use the cleaners together when cleaning only use one of the choices to clean never mix cleaners.
Cleaning the Area
OPTION 1: Vinegar
In Figure 2 you can see the boards that have the mineral deposit on the top of the surface. We will be using a mixture of water and vinegar to clean off the boards.
- First, we wilt need to make a 50/50 mixture of vinegar/water. We will first start by pouring water into a bucket as shown in Figure 3.
- Then we will add the same amount of vinegar to that bucket as shown in Figure 4.
- After we have made the mixture and thoroughly mixed it together, we will apply the mixture onto the boards that are affected by the mineral deposits as shown in Figure 5.
- After applying the mixture leave it on for at least 5 minutes to let the mixture get deep into the mineral deposit, it makes cleaning much easier.
- After allowing the mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes come in with the soft bristle brush and begin to scrub in the direction of the grain. The strength of the scrubbing will depend on how thick the mineral deposit is usually medium-strength scrubbing is sufficient.
Note: When using a soft bristle brush only scrub in the direction of the wood grain never ever scrub against the wood grain. - After scrubbing for about 1-2 minutes take water and rinse the area and dry the area with a towel to see the result.
Note: It might take multiple times scrubbing the board in order to get the mineral deposit off the surface.
Also, quicker results may be seen if you continuously scrub while adding the mixture on the affected area. - After drying the affected boards should look brand new. As you can see in Figure 6 you can see the difference between the area cleaned versus not cleaned.
OPTION 2: Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- Take the toilet bowl cleaner and apply it onto each affected board as shown in Figure 7.
- Then take water and pour it over the affected boards and rub together the toilet bowl cleaner and water and allow it to sit on the boards for at least 5 minutes as shown in Figure 8.
- After 5 minutes take the soft bristle brush and scrub in the direction of the wood grain for about 1-2 minutes.
Note: When using a soft bristle brush only scrub in the direction of the wood grain never ever scrub against the wood grain. - After scrubbing take water and rinse the area and dry with a towel to see the results. The results are shown here in Figure 9 you can see the difference between cleaning versus not cleaning.
Note: It might take multiple times scrubbing the board in order to get the mineral deposit off the surface.
Also, quicker results may be seen if you continuously scrub while adding toilet bowl cleaner and water.
OPTION 3: Household/Laundry Detergent
- Take the detergent and apply it on the boards as shown in Figure 10.
- Then take water and pour it over the detergent and rub it into the boards and allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes as shown in Figure 11.
- After allowing the detergent/water sit for 5 minutes begin scrubbing with the soft bristle brush in the direction of the wood grain.
Note: When using a soft bristle brush only scrub in the direction of the wood grain never ever scrub against the wood grain. - After scrubbing for 1-2 minutes rinse the area with water and dry with a towel to see the results as shown in Figure 12.
Note: it might take multiple times scrubbing the board in order to get the mineral deposit off the surface. Also, quicker results may be seen if you continuously scrub while adding toilet bowl cleaner and water.
Chemical Resistance of NewTechWood UltraShield
| Chemical | Temperature Temperature 21°C (70°F) 60°C (140°F) | |
| Acetic Acid (10%) | R | R |
| Beer | R | R |
| Benzene | U | U |
| Benzoic Acid | R | R |
| Bleach Lye (10%) | R | R |
| Toulene | U | U |
| Methyl Ethyl Ketone | R | U |
| Acetone | R | U |
| Ethyl Benzene | U | U |
| n-Butyl Acetate (100%) | R | U |
| Turpentine | U | U |
| Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) | R | U |
Chemical Resistance Data – NewTechWood UltraShield
- R – Resistant towards chemical
- U – Non-resistant towards chemicals which means it could possibly permanently damage the product. Please contact the manufacturer to get approval before using any of these chemicals on the products.
- All general household products are all useable.
Visit www.newtechwood.com for more information
NewTechWood Care and Cleaning Guide / v20200513
