The Hungry Canary

From Mother’s notebook · Two-page cleaning notes

Wooden Deck Cleaner

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Ingredients

  • 2 gallons warm water
  • 2 cups oxygen cleaning powder, apparently OxiClean (not chlorine bleach)
  • 1/4 cup dish detergent, mentioned later in the directions (wording partly obscured)
  • For mildew: 1 cup borax, recorded as an optional addition

Directions

  1. Brush or rinse loose debris off the wooden deck before washing. The first line mentions washing or spraying the deck before cleaning.
  2. In a suitable large container, dissolve the oxygen cleaning powder in the warm water and stir until blended.
  3. Apply to the deck and work gently into a light lather. The notebook indicates approximately 15 minutes before rinsing; it also mentions adding 1/4 cup dish detergent, but the exact point of addition is unclear.
  4. Rinse thoroughly with clean water, keeping the surface from drying with cleaner on it.
  5. For mildew, the notebook mentions 1 cup borax, though it does not make clear whether this is an alternative treatment or an addition to the whole mixture.

Family notebook context

Mother had a wooden deck at her double-wide trailer beside a heavily shedding tree. The family recalls so much pollen and debris that even a blue vehicle could turn green. These notes appear to be for washing that deck. No claim is made that the formula was personally tested successfully.

Continuation note: A second page reads approximately “every day” and “seal.” It may refer to later deck sealing or maintenance, but the relationship is unclear; it is preserved as an unconfirmed note, not a sealing schedule.

Practical considerations

Oxygen cleaning powders may contain sodium percarbonate and other ingredients; check the actual label and follow its outdoor-wood instructions. Test in an inconspicuous area, avoid over-scrubbing, and protect plants, pets and nearby finishes from runoff. Never mix with chlorine bleach, acids or unrelated cleaners. Borax can be hazardous if swallowed and should not be added without verifying the combined product’s compatibility. A wood deck should be fully rinsed and allowed to dry as appropriate before any sealing.