How to Clean Your Wood with Sodium Hypochlorite?
Josh Richards • Feb 06, 2023
How to Clean Your Wood with Sodium Hypochlorite?
Wood cleaning and staining are all about protecting the wood from harmful elements, giving it a long life, and restoring its natural appearance. Wood cleaning wipes off all the dirt and harmful elements and creates a safe and clean stage to begin wood staining. While staining protects from further enemies.
Skipping the cleaning process and moving straight to the staining phase will not do any good. If you directly apply the stain on untreated wood, the stain elements won’t correctly do the job, and hence you won’t get the best results.
We have already talked much about staining the exterior wood and washing it using various methods (soft and pressure washing). We’ll now apply different chemicals to clean the wood.
For this post, we’ll use sodium hypochlorite to wash the wood. We’ll rinse the wood with a soft wash.
Note: Sodium hypochlorite is toxic. Take precautionary measures when using it to clean the wood.
A Little About Sodium Hypochlorite
The chemical is generally used to clean objects and is known as liquid bleach. It effectively kills germs and works against viruses and fungi.
The chemical is toxic. It can cause coughing, sore throat, stomach ache, skin irritation, and more.
The chemical acts as a disinfectant only. It shouldn’t be taken as a preventive solution.
Cleaning the Wood with Sodium Hypochlorite
There are several products in the market containing sodium hypochlorite. We have selected only two:
The two solutions work well for cleaning purposes. However, chlorine bleach can be more wood damaging. We suggest carefully following our instructions or contacting us for consultation.
We tested the two solutions side-by-side on two planks. They both cleaned the wood with some differing results. We’ll share the consequences later.
Note: Don’t use both solutions on a single project. Use either of those. We suggest using the commercial product as it’s easy to use and isn’t wood damaging.
Tools, Supplies, Safety Gears to Clean the Wood
Before starting the cleaning project, let’s gather all the tools, supplies, and safety gear.
Here’s the list of tools and supplies you’ll need to complete the job efficiently:
Prepare the Site
Remove furniture, fixtures, and fittings from the site. Sweep prominent dust, dirt, and other debris from the area.
It’s better to protect nearby plants and flowers with drop cloths. The content we’re using here isn’t eco-friendly.
Note: Water the plants and flowers before covering with and wet the drop cloth to make them hydrated for long hours.
Prepare the Solution
Applying the Solutions
The good thing about applying wood cleaners is that they are very easy to use. Unlike staining the wood, you can spray randomly. The only thing to consider is to apply everywhere, not leaving any portion.
We applied the two content to the wood and let it soak in for about 10 minutes. Both liquids were super fast. They quickly react to the germs and loosen them to be easily rinsed.
Rinse with Clear Water
We used a soft wash to rinse the two pieces. Washing requires a pattern. Go in the grain's direction, keeping the nozzle a few inches away from the surface. If using pressure washing, maintain a 6 to 10-inch distance from the surface.
Let it Dry
Let the wood dry to see the results. The wood we washed was very old. The first wash wasn't enough to get the best results. We repeated the whole process, from applying the cleaners to drying. The final result was fascinating. Chlorine bleach did a better job. We then redid the job on the main site using bleach.
Staining the Wood
Washing isn't enough to protect the wood. After a day, we stained the wood with a commercial grade stain and waited another 24 hours to see the final result.
Why Don't we Suggest Using Bleach?
Sodium Hypochlorite or chlorine bleach can damage the wood if not adequately prepared and applied. That's why we suggest homeowners avoid using bleach. On the other hand, commercial-grade products are adequately prepared and have the right blend to avoid any damage to the surface.
Why we don't suggest bleach for wood cleaning:
The Bottom Line
We aren't against using chlorine bleach to clean the wood. If you can prepare the perfect blend, apply it to the surface. But if you aren't sure, use a commercial-grade product or hire a professional.
FAQs
Is it inexpensive to use bleach over a product?
You may get a bleach for as low as $4. A cleaning product may cost you $15 or more. Both give the same results. However, using a bleaching solution may get tricky for first-timers.
What can bleach do to the wood?
Wood has content that holds the fibers together - lignin. When you apply bleach on wood, it can destroy that content.
What other options do I have to clean the wood?
You can clean the wood using four chemicals: sodium bicarbonate (oxygenated bleach), sodium hypo-chloride (chlorine bleach), sodium hydroxide, and sodium metasilicate. Learn more about the four best chemicals to clean the wood.