Cleaning a WPC terrace

WPC boards are an easy-care alternative to wooden decking. They do not need to be oiled or painted. The modern material WPC (wood polymer composite) is characterized by its resistance to wind and weather. Find out what you need to clean a WPC decking properly and exactly how it works here.

Can WPC floorboards be cleaned in an environmentally friendly way?

Yes, WPC decking boards can be cleaned of stains and dirt without harming the environment. WPC is an easy-care material. Many stains disappear by themselves over time, as the material prevents dirt from penetrating deeper. Sun and rain are therefore the first helpers when it comes to cleaning the decking. With regular basic cleaning depending on the location and weather conditions (once a year, more often if necessary), you can remove dirt particles from your WPC decking in an uncomplicated and environmentally friendly way. Dust, pollen and other dirt can be removed easily and without solvents using water and a brush or a high-pressure cleaner (but not a steam jet). For stubborn stains, we have our environmentally friendly WPC special cleaner from NaturinForm in our range. Chlorine should not be used at all during cleaning - this also protects the environment. After all, what is used to clean the decking also ends up in the garden and waste water in case of doubt.

What utensils do I need for cleaning WPC?

Depending on the type of cleaning (basic cleaning of the terrace, removal of stains), you will need lukewarm water, a broom and a scrubbing brush. With these tools, you will be able to remove even light soiling caused by use and weathering. The brush is the first choice for cleaning WPC boards. Using a high-pressure cleaner (maximum 80 bar, at least 20 cm distance), it is somewhat easier to remove coarser stains from the WPC boards. If the WPC decking is to be rinsed, a garden hose can be used. For cleaning stains, we offer a special biodegradable cleaner developed for our products.

Which utensils and care products must be avoided with WPC?

WPC decking consists of 70 % wood fibers and should therefore not be cleaned with harsh cleaning agents or abrasive tools. Please do not use steam jets, solvent-based cleaners, chlorine cleaners or steel brushes to clean your decking boards. Only brass brushes can be used if a stain on your WPC decking boards proves to be particularly stubborn - and only on brushed WPC decking boards.

What soiling can occur on WPC decking?

A terrace made of WPC boards is exposed to the weather as well as other influences. The stains that can occur on WPC decking therefore include water stains, pollen, dust deposits, lichen, verdigris, pollen, moss, salt stains in winter, traces of use by people (soil, sand from shoes), soot, oil or other household stains such as food residues and grease stains. Stains can also be caused by a reaction with metal, such as metal oxide in lawn fertilizer, metal furniture or if metal has been worked on in the vicinity of the WPC boards. Depending on the degree of soiling, a specific procedure is recommended for cleaning the decking.

The annual basic cleaning: How do I maintain the WPC decking?

WPC does not require extensive maintenance - cleaning and checking its function are sufficient. Many stains disappear by themselves through sun and rain. Depending on the weather and the location of the decking, basic cleaning is recommended about once a year and also as required (for example, if large quantities of leaves have fallen). During this basic cleaning, you should remove accumulated dirt from your WPC decking. This basic cleaning is recommended after the winter to make the WPC boards fresh for spring, or in the fall to keep the joints free of leaves and dirt. This allows water to drain away safely in fall and winter. You can remove verdigris, pollen, leaves, water marks around furniture or other deposits at the beginning or end of the gardening season using simple household products. Typical stains that can occur include water stains. When rainwater is rinsed over the WPC boards and then dries, dust particles remain. Water stains can usually be removed with clean water and household cleaning tools such as a brush and scrubbing brush.

Have a broom, bucket and scrubbing brush ready for basic cleaning of the patio. Before cleaning, all furniture, planters, decorative objects and similar items should be removed from the patio. First use a broom to remove dry and coarse dirt from your WPC decking. The decking can then be doused with lukewarm water (without detergent). The decking boards can now be cleaned with the scrubbing brush in the direction of travel (along the structure). The decking is then rinsed clean with a bucket or garden hose. A high-pressure cleaner is helpful for large WPC decking. The pressure should not exceed 80 bar and the distance between the board and the jet should be at least 20 cm.

If you discover stains during basic cleaning that cannot be removed using the methods described, use our NaturinForm WPC special cleaner for light soiling. The cleaner is biodegradable and it is harmless if it runs off through the joints between the boards. The WPC special cleaner is used according to the dosing instructions for cleaning surfaces with light soiling. It can also be sprayed onto soiled areas.

After cleaning, you should wait until the surface has dried before walking on the WPC boards again, so that no footprints are left behind. The optional use of a squeegee can be helpful here, but it is not a must. Following the annual cleaning, dried boards can be impregnated - however, this is only possible for brushed WPC boards. You can read more about this under "Do I need to impregnate my WPC boards?"

How do I remove heavy soiling from WPC floorboards?

Specific stains such as soot, grease stains, algae, food residues and moss that have not been removed by sweeping and rinsing can be treated as required, depending on the type of stain. The following applies: Some stains on our WPC planks disappear by themselves after some time. Stains such as oil evaporate, sunlight bleaches them out or rainwater carries them away. Red wine stains also fade over time as a result of natural weathering. It is generally advisable to dab off freshly formed stains such as food stains directly. Due to their surface, non-brushed floorboards generally absorb less dirt than brushed floorboards.

In winter, salt stains can be caused by litter. They have no negative effect on the properties of NaturinForm decking boards, but they do look unattractive. The dried salt residues can be removed with plenty of water and a brush or a high-pressure cleaner (maximum 80 bar and at least 20 cm distance). Chlorine and salt water have no negative effect on the durability of our WPC planks - however, chlorine cleaners should be avoided, also for the sake of the environment.

Stubborn household stains on WPC decking, such as grease or soot, can be treated with our specially developed, biodegradable special cleaner: Please follow the instructions on the packaging (spray on, leave to work) and then rinse thoroughly. The following applies to grease: the stain should be removed directly with a damp sponge. If the stain is localized and isolated, the cleaner can also be applied pure, worked in with a soft brush and then rinsed off.

For heavier stains, a mixing ratio of 1:10 (cleaner to water) can be selected for our NaturinForm WPC special cleaner. The effectiveness is increased by allowing it to work for half an hour.

The enzyme-based cleaning agent for WPC decking boards also removes barbecue grease and bog lye stains almost completely. After cleaning, the formation of patina is restarted by the sunlight hitting the cellulose fibers in the board. The resulting optical maturation of the plank brings the treated area back to the appearance of the untreated planks after some time.

How do I clean WPC floorboards with stubborn stains?

Our NaturinForm WPC special cleaner for stains can be used for stubborn stains. It is used to treat specific stains and not to clean the entire surface of the decking boards.

Rusty chair or table legs can leave ferrous residues on the WPC boards. This is where the special cleaner for stains comes into play. Thanks to the oxalic acid it contains, it removes stains caused by chemical reactions. The NaturinForm WPC special cleaner for stains reverses chemical reactions caused by the tannic acid in oak leaves, lawn fertilizer with iron oxides or materials containing plasticizers, for example.

If a stain does not respond to any cleaner, brushed floorboards can be gently sanded down using sandpaper or a brass brush. Please always work in the direction of the grain when sanding. Sanding should always be the last solution. It restores the surface of the treated area to its original state. This means that the optical weathering starts all over again: The area initially appears brighter and matures visually over time. It is therefore always worth waiting to see whether the stain fades on its own due to the weather.

Do I need to impregnate my WPC planks?

WPC decking boards from NaturinForm do not need to be impregnated. NaturinForm's brushed models can be treated with our impregnation specially formulated for our wood composite material, as the brushing allows it to penetrate the material and take effect.

The impregnation can be applied to the clean, dust-free and dry planks with a brush directly after installation and after the annual basic cleaning. Please apply the impregnation thinly and evenly and follow the application instructions on the container.

The NaturinForm impregnation creates a beading effect and thus prevents the build-up of moss, for example. This makes it easier to clean the brushed WPC boards without reducing the slip resistance of the boards. However, it does not extend the basic durability of the material itself. Impregnation of brushed boards is particularly recommended in shaded areas and when using WPC boards in restaurants.

What influence do installation, location and partial roofing have on the possible soiling of WPC boards?

Several aspects influence how quickly stains appear on your WPC decking boards. These factors include (partial) roofing and the slope (i.e. the incline of the decking).

Substrate
You can already set the course for water drainage when laying your WPC boards and thus influence the extent of water stains. Here, our expert explains how to install them correctly. A gap of at least 8 cm between the planks and the subfloor prevents waterlogging and allows organic material to rot. The load-bearing substrate (such as gravel) should also be able to absorb moisture.

Substructure and slope
The substructure and leveling of your WPC decking should ideally provide a slope of at least 1 to 2.5% away from the house so that rainwater can run off. With honeycomb profile boards, the slope of the boards must always run in the direction of the boards. With our special zero-degree plank Smart, the water can run off automatically thanks to the curvature of the planks.

Joints
WPC is a living material that can expand and contract depending on the weather thanks to its wood content. A gap during installation not only supports the natural movement of the boards, but also ensures that water can run off and organic material can fall down.

Partial roofing
For partially roofed WPC decking, we recommend unbrushed, particularly water-repellent plank models. Insensitive boards weather less visually. This is an advantage if part of your patio is covered but another part is exposed to the open sky and therefore the weather. Rainwater washes dust over the WPC boards, which remains after drying. The open area is (in contrast to the covered part of the terrace) constantly exposed to the weather and therefore also to rainwater - the effect is small, but cannot be completely avoided. However, this does not affect the quality of the boards (and is therefore no reason for complaint). Like wooden decking, decking made of WPC boards also matures visually over time. The uncovered part of the decking may develop a different color than the covered part. This is a typical feature of the WPC material and is not a defect. You can find out more about visual weathering under "Colors".

How can I prevent stains on WPC floorboards?

A terrace is a living space and of course everyday stains cannot always be avoided. Basically, the following applies: you help decide which stains your boards are exposed to. It is not only the choice of board and the location that influence maintenance - what is placed or laid on the WPC boards also determines the type of stains that can occur.

• Our raw material wood can contain water-soluble tanning agents that react to even minimal concentrations of iron and lead to a gray-blue-black discoloration. This can occur, for example, when using iron-containing flower or lawn fertilizers or through the weathering of iron-containing objects on the floorboard surface. You can prevent this by choosing different materials for garden furniture or flower pots, for example.
• If you place flower pots or decorative objects on your WPC decking, check whether water can collect due to unfavorable placement of the objects.
• Sweep away falling organic material such as leaves or sand regularly. This will keep the WPC decking looking good and prevent the material from rotting on the decking.
• Brushed WPC boards from NaturinForm can be impregnated to partially protect them from stains caused by liquids or moss, for example, thanks to the beading effect.
• If food such as cooking oil or red wine gets onto the WPC boards during a meal, it is advisable to remove it immediately with a damp sponge.
• The color of your WPC decking is also decisive: as with light-colored clothing, you should also expect more cleaning effort with light-colored models such as Urban flair or our color editions, as dirt becomes visible more quickly.