This Old House

Get outdoor surfaces gleaming

rustrated by stubborn green-to-black stains marring your pickets, deck rails, or siding? , which can kill plants, dissolve wood,. A few QAC-based cleaners to look for: Wet & Forget, Jomax Spray Once, and Scotts Outdoor Cleaner House & Siding, all available at home centers. It can take a few days, or up to a few months, to clear up staining, but these products also deter new growth. (Annual retreatments work faster.) Note: While QACs are safer than bleach, they’re not benign; always follow manufacturers’ instructions. For a less caustic solution that’s safe to use indoors, there’s Duo Blast (). It comes as two liquids——that you mix and spray on right away. This cleaner works in 24 hours, but doesn’t confer any long-lasting protection.

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