Removing rust stains from your Azek deck is not as difficult as you think. You can use various products to remove rust stains, but which one will work best for the type of stain depends on what caused the rust in the first place. For example, if it’s due to exposure to high levels of salt or chlorine, vinegar is usually enough to clean it up. If you’re looking for a rust-removal solution that is gentle on your deck, consider using a product that contains oxalic acid. You can find this at most hardware stores and it’s also a common ingredient in laundry boosters.
However, if other types of metal salts have mixed with the iron oxide, you’ll need more than just vinegar and water for an effective cleaning solution.
There are some rust stains on your azek deck that you want to remove. You can try using white vinegar with bleach or oxalic acid. These are corrosive substances that should remove the rust stains.
7 Steps to Follow on How to Remove Rust Stains From Azek Deck
Step One: Prepare the Azek Deck
The first thing you need to do is prepare the Azek deck. If it has a coating of paint, varnish, shellac, or any other protective covering, scrape off as much as possible by hand. Next, you should pressure wash your deck with a stiff brush attachment. If you have a lot of dirt and grime on your deck, you may need to use a stronger pressure washer.
Make sure that the entire deck is wet during this process. Be careful not to direct the spray at exposed wooden landscape timbers or steps, as they can be easily damaged by too much water pressure. In addition, this process will remove the loose paint, varnish, or whatever else is on your deck.
It may also loosen some of the Azek’s coating, if anything, on top of the wood. Don’t worry if this happens because what you want is for the Azek to absorb as much rust as possible.
Step Two: Scrub the Rust Stains with Vinegar
After pressure washing your deck, prepare a mixture of one part white vinegar and three parts water in a garden sprayer or mister bottle. Spray this solution onto the Azek deck, and scrub it with a soft bristle brush. The vinegar will react with the oxidized iron in the rust stains, causing them to loosen from your deck surface. Use a garden hose to rinse away the vinegar solution, and the rust stains along with it. Repeat this process as necessary until all of the rust stains are removed from your deck.
Do not allow the vinegar to dry on the Azek deck, as this might cause some discoloration. Rinse the deck after scrubbing it with vinegar, and do not let the deck dry out for several hours. Keep the deck moist with the garden sprayer or mister bottle. Fill a bucket with water and drop the brush into it. Rinse the brush in the bucket of water.
The vinegar will react with the oxidized iron in the rust stains, causing them to loosen from your deck surface. Do not allow the vinegar to dry on your Azek deck, as this might cause some discoloration.
Step Three: Let the Deck Dry out
After scrubbing the deck with vinegar, you should wait an hour for it to dry. You can then reapply another coat of vinegar and scrub it again. When your Azek deck is completely dry, apply a second coat of vinegar and let it sit for at least two hours.
If necessary, scrub the Azek deck one more time before moving on to step four. This step is optional, so you can skip it if you want to. However, if your Azek deck has some stubborn rust stains causing discoloration, applying another coat of vinegar may help remove them.
If necessary, scrub the Azek deck one more time before moving on to step four. This step is optional, so you can skip it if you want to. After scrubbing your Azek deck with vinegar, let it dry for at least an hour. Please do not allow the deck to dry out completely and turn back into a powdery gray color that we usually associate with Azek.
Step Four: Apply a Coating of Metal Lacquer
When your Azek deck is dry, you should next apply a coating of metal lacquer. If the deck is still gray or white, it has not absorbed enough rust to remove the stains properly. In this case, continue scrubbing the deck with vinegar and allow it to dry until it turns a deep orange color.
You can apply a second coat of metal lacquer if it looks scratched or dull, but make sure the deck is completely dry first. One or two coats should be sufficient to remove rust stains from Azek decks as long as it has been allowed to turn an orange-red color before applying any metal lacquer.
One or two coats should be sufficient to remove rust stains from an Azek deck as long as it has been allowed to turn an orange-red color before applying any metal lacquer. Remember that you should never paint or otherwise coat an Azek deck when it is dry. This will help in how to remove rust stains from azek deck.
Step Five: Paint the Deck
After allowing an Azek deck to dry for at least three days, you can then paint or stain it. If possible, always apply a coat of metal lacquer before painting over stained areas of the deck. Metal lacquer is excellent for sealing in rust stains because it forms a fragile barrier against moisture that might penetrate the Azek and react with the rust stains.
Although your Azek deck has been stained by iron oxide, it is still completely functional as a durable material for building decks and other structures that you can enjoy at home or in your business. By following these steps, you will be able to clean up an old rusty Azek deck without replacing it.
Remember that you should never paint or otherwise coat an Azek deck when it is dry. After allowing an Azek deck to dry for at least three days, you can then paint or stain it. If possible, always apply a coat of metal lacquer before painting over stained areas of the deck.
Step Six: Clean up
You can clean up your Azek deck by sweeping it with a push broom or stiff-bristle brush. After you’ve finished cleaning up, you should wash the tools that you used with water to prevent rust stains from building back upon them, which could cause problems later on.
It will be necessary to repeat steps one through five if rust stains continue to form over time. However, this should not happen very often since the metal lacquer in step four is great for sealing out moisture that might penetrate into the Azek and react with rust stains.
You can clean up your Azek deck by sweeping it with a push broom or stiff-bristle brush. After you’ve finished cleaning up, you should wash the tools that you used with water to prevent rust stains from building back upon them, which could cause problems later on. If you want to find out more about how to remove rust stains from azek deck, keep reading.
Step Seven: Enjoy your Rust-free Azek Deck
You should now enjoy your rust-free Azek deck! If you like, you can paint it in several different colors to give it some visual appeal. The best part is that rust stains will not penetrate the Azek because of the metal lacquer in step four.
You should now enjoy your rust-free Azek deck! If you like, you can paint it in a number of different colors to give it some visual appeal. The best part is that rust stains will not penetrate the Azek because of the metal lacquer in step four.
Remember that you should never paint or otherwise coat an Azek deck when it is dry. After allowing an Azek deck to dry for at least three days, you can then paint or stain it. If possible, always apply a coat of metal lacquer before painting over stained areas of the deck.
Can You Use Bleach on Azek Decking?
Yes. There is nothing wrong with using bleach to try and remove rust stains from Azek decking, and you should expect good results if you do this right. You can use bleach to remove rust stains from Azek decking. The only thing you need to do is mix up a small amount in a spray bottle or bucket and then scrub it into the stain, ensuring that you have covered the entire area.
Then rinse it off with water once you have let it stand for a few minutes; if this is a heavy rust stain, you might have to do this a few times or even combine it with sanding off some of the top layers as well. But as long as you are careful not to damage the deck board itself, you can use bleach to remove most rust stains from Azek decking.
If you do this method, though, make sure to wear rubber gloves and eye protection because bleach is a dangerous chemical and can cause damage to your skin or eyes if it contacts them. Thanks for reading about how to remove rust stains from azek deck.
Conclusion
When we finish, your deck will be looking great, and you can rest assured that it won’t corrode. You should also make sure to seal the wood with a clear coat of polyurethane or an oil-based preservative such as linseed oil if possible.
This will help keep water and maintain the color but remember not to overdo this step since too much treatment could cause other problems like peeling paint or mold growth. For more information on how to remove rust stains from azek deck check out our blog post here.
You can also check it: 10 Ways To Make Your Deck Stand Out
