We have a decking bridge out onto the garden from the first floor.  It is lethal at the moment - I put my foot on it and went flying.  I want to clean it with something that won't hurt the dog.  Because it is on the first floor there is a yard underneath it so I have to be careful where cleaning materials end up.  Any ideas please?

No recommendations for a cleaning product, but I'd think about putting some chicken wire over it so you've got some grip.

Pressure wash it :) :)
Lea :)

We have a large decked area to the rear of our house and it becomes like a skating rink at this time of the year.Power washing will help with that in the short term.However I use Brintons MMC which I buy on e-bay from 'Godfreys' it is the professional form of Patio Magic that you can buy in various garden centres.It is best used in the warmer weather and genuinely dissolves the algae over a number of weeks.Our house is surrounded by trees and it is an on going issue.I have tried loads of products but this has been the best by far.Best applied using a low pressure sprayer the type you can buy to apply weedkiller.I tend to use twice yearly but the downside to decking is that during the wet weather it becomes treacherous to walk on.

Fab post, mine is lethal at the moment :(

I looked up online and pressure washing wasn't recommended in case it damaged the wood.  I pressure washed all the slabs on the back yard because they had become slippy last summer.  I have just bought a fine chicken wire to put on the steps at the top of the garden which are made from sleepers - they too are dangerous at the moment. That is part of the garden the dog is kept out of - not sure I want her running on chicken wire, she does like sitting on the bridge and watching who is going along the lane.  Will try a wash down with a stiff brush for the time being.  It has been dry today so maybe tomorrow I can walk on it! 

I have pressure washed my decking for years and it has never damaged the wood as long as you use the proper attachment/lance to do it.However it is a time consuming and dirty job and its effectiveness is time limited.Perhaps you could consider putting down rubber matting when it is particularly slippy.

A lot of decking cleaner products now are water based but the downside of this they require a bit more elbow grease. I would check with your local DIY or paint store.

B&Q told me to pressure wash mine.  They said if I bought the various cleaning products I would still have to scrub the decking with a wire brush.  I´ve done nothing.  I´m moving soon(ish) so I´m just very careful when I go outside to poo pick. 

There is a lot of decking and also wooden walkways in a Nature reserve near us.  They had chicken wire down on the decking but this year, they have taken it all up and put strips of what looks like felt with grit glued to it about every 12" or so.   It seems to do the job, whether it will last for any lenth of time remains to be seen though. :)

Celtic Lad,

Thanks for that link, I have an outside wooden cat frame for the cats to play on and it's gone a bit green, I'm going to get some of this to clean it up in the Spring.

I have the same problem with the concrete and paving in the garden at the moment. Jeyes Fluid works well, just dilute as normal and apply, leave for 10 mins or so and rinse off. I've borrowed a pressure washer but decided to do the JF first (as I know it works, and it also disinfects where the dogs have been) and keep the algae at bay with the washer in future.

I got the chicken wire idea from Kenfig Dunes - but I really don't want to spoil the decking - and I go bare foot in the summer!  Rubber matting sounds an idea for the present!  

The one I am referring to is the nature reserve near Park Slip!  :)

Beware of using chicken wire.  It is fine and wears easily, the thin wires can break and puncture a pad.  If you can stand it looking messy builders sand is good for grip and helps to stop ice forming on top. There is a product now that can be applied to decking that leaves a permanent gritty texture to prevent slipping.

That may be worth a look harkbark thanks - I haven't got chicken wire but a roll of fine mesh wire that I hope will be stronger.   I have never been to Park Slip - Oldilocks - will have to give it a look for a change.  Most of the folk I know go down to Kenfig - there were about 40 dogs in our group the Saturday after Christmas!  It was pretty wet and we nearly got washed off the beach by a big wave that just kept coming up the beach while we ran.  Dogs loved it!

Have put the wire on the sleeper steps this morning - it is not going to last - it splits too easily.  Had to cover the whole step and fold it down the front to prevent any sharp pieces sticking up.  Not good.   Not sure it has a great grip either!  

I remembered hearing a new product featured on the radio last year. Just googled it and it's this : http://www.retrogrip.co.uk/
No idea if it works but worth looking into!

> Have put the wire on the sleeper steps this morning - it is not going to last - it splits too easily.

Proper chicken wire works well - the kind with small holes that looks a bit like honeycomb. Possibly weldmesh with 1 x 2cm rectangular holes would work as well. B&Q sometimes sell sheets of the latter.

Near where I walk the dogs there's a big private school so any footbridges across the brooks and streams are covered with wire of one sort or another, as the school does cross-country runs along a lot of the public footpaths. Very handy and I can assure you it does work!

That retrogrip looks really good - would only need to do the panel down the centre - will find out more on that - thanks so much.  I washed the decking down with warm soapy water yesterday and brushed it with a stiff brush.  Most of the algae came off and I hosed it all down.  We have wire down on the bottom section of steps that are in our vegetable garden so we will see how we go now.  This morning we have ice - yuk!  Got out of the car and nearly went flying on the road.  Need some shoes with a grip now!  Trouble is the sole of the shoe looks good - they are walking shoes but on a smooth surface they are dreadful. I use the gripper things that go on the bottom for real snow and icy conditions but black ice is very difficult.  Trying my best to keep upright :-)

It is expensive - about £5 a metre - there is also a decking anti-slip oil I found while searching for stockists - anyone use that I wonder?