Removing grease from wood decks

[Ray K]

The grease is from melted hamburger fat from a barbecue. The deck is well aged lumber (exposed year round to New Jersey temperatures, rains and snows, but shaded most of the time) that has never been painted or sealed. So far, I've tried, separately, dish detergent, bleach, something similar to 409, and ammonia with limited success. Next I'll try, separately, laundry detergents (because of their enzymes), TSP, oxalic acid, water-rinseable auto degreaser/carb cleaners, and an oxygen bleach like sodium percarbonate.

Any othe suggestions? If the above or your suggestions don't work, I'll use my belt sander. It doesn't matter if any of the treatments temporarily alter the appearance, as natural weathering should restore the grayness.

Thanks.

Ray

 

[barbarow]

In NJ I used a pressure washer with great results !

 

[Alan (archive)]

The grease is from melted hamburger fat from a barbecue. The deck is well aged lumber (exposed year round to New Jersey temperatures, rains and snows, but shaded most of the time) that has never been painted or sealed. So far, I've tried, separately, dish detergent, bleach, something similar to 409, and ammonia with limited success. Next I'll try, separately, laundry detergents (because of their enzymes), TSP, oxalic acid, water-rinseable auto degreaser/carb cleaners, and an oxygen bleach like sodium percarbonate.

Any othe suggestions? If the above or your suggestions don't work, I'll use my belt sander. It doesn't matter if any of the treatments temporarily alter the appearance, as natural weathering should restore the grayness.

I have a similar problem except that I don't know what it is that was left by the previous owner. It certainly repels water and the pressure washer did nothing to remove it. I doubt that sanding would do anything but could be wrong.

 

[Ray K]

I have a similar problem except that I don't know what it is that was left by the previous owner. It certainly repels water and the pressure washer did nothing to remove it. I doubt that sanding would do anything but could be wrong.

I've tried very concentrated TSP (from painters section). It was somewhat helpful. Next I'll try the carb cleaner.

Ray