We have two decks that where built with the original house. At one point the former owners lifted some of the deck boards and flipped them over because they were badly discoloured. Apparently, this staining is a result of a small organism known as mildew. Mildew thrives on wet and low light. The underside of our top deck seemed to be an ideal home for these introverted fungi.
The recommended way to get rid of mildew is to burn the wood or corrode its environment. Both are harsh methods. Hauling and burning would leave us with a 2.5 meter airy space where only gravity could be at play. Corrosion involves applying diluted chlorine then blasting the black residue off the wood with pressurized water. This is called power washing.
Last year I asked a neighbour why they chose to power wash their walk and driveway. I had heard about power washing and was prepared to do without the expense if it was a just cosmetic thing like pulling dandelions and cutting grass.
Mildew burrowed into my psyche this winter though. The season was wet and sunless like I have never experienced before so I did ruminate on sanitation and sanity a few times during the rains. This week, I was ready for a harsh correction to my situation. I corroded the underside of the deck 3 times then watered the black with a power washer. When water comes out of a small hole at one ton per square inch it can do some damage to water loving fungus gardens. It can also lighten my mood. I know the solution is only temporary. The mildew life force will patiently wait out corrosion and ultraviolet radiation. And still I'm not sure that the mildew is even a bad thing.
