First accident today.

So I Did a fsg job on a house today. Lady warns me that decking out back is very slippy, I went round to check it out and it was. Did the Job, no issues, packed up. Went round the back for one final check and just wipe sills down and I went straight on my **** and landed on My tail bone. It was SORE! 

She came out and apologised, checked I was OK etc etc.

My question is, has anyone refused to do a job due to state of decking or similar? 

DJT said:

So I Did a fsg job on a house today. Lady warns me that decking out back is very slippy, I went round to check it out and it was. Did the Job, no issues, packed up. Went round the back for one final check and just wipe sills down and I went straight on my **** and landed on My tail bone. It was SORE! 

She came out and apologised, checked I was OK etc etc.

My question is, has anyone refused to do a job due to state of decking or similar? 

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We have a couple of jobs that we won’t do certain areas due to slippery decking when it’s wet customer is fine with that we have offered to clean it for them but they keep saying they will do it themselves but never do 

Pjj said:

We have a couple of jobs that we won’t do certain areas due to slippery decking when it’s wet customer is fine with that we have offered to clean it for them but they keep saying they will do it themselves but never do 

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Out of interest, how do you clean it?  My decking is getting to the point where it needs a clean!

Bart90 said:

Out of interest, how do you clean it?  My decking is getting to the point where it needs a clean!

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I softwash it, 20/80 mix of hypo/water and a dash of washing up liquid. Apply, brush in, leave for 30 mins and wash off

Dale Transparent said:

I softwash it, 20/80 mix of hypo/water and a dash of washing up liquid. Apply, brush in, leave for 30 mins and wash off

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You shouldn’t add washing up liquid or anything else to hypo unless you’ve checked it’s a recommended chemical. It’s potentially hazardous to health. Some chemicals can make mustard gas.

P4dstar said:

You shouldn’t add washing up liquid or anything else to hypo unless you’ve checked it’s a recommended chemical. It’s potentially hazardous to health. Some chemicals can make mustard gas.

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Washing up liquid is fine, mixing hypo with ammonia would create mustard gas. Washing up liquid doesn't contain ammonia

Bart90 said:

Out of interest, how do you clean it?  My decking is getting to the point where it needs a clean!

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Softwash it with hypo mix one part hypo to five parts water (1-5 ) you won’t need a surfactant as it’s on a horizontal surface don’t put washing up liquid in it as this can be carsonagenic and it’s also illegal to do so , wet the decking down first then apply the hypo mix with a watering can or back pack leave for up to 45 muinits you will see it change colour from green to a brownish colour give it a scrub with a stiff broom re apply more hypo if needed  leave again scrubb again then rinse with the garden hose this will kill and sterilise the surface , or you could apply a biocide this should give you similar results but will take a lot longer 

Dale Transparent said:

Washing up liquid is fine, mixing hypo with ammonia would create mustard gas. Washing up liquid doesn't contain ammonia

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I didn’t mean washing up liquid would create mustard gas mate, just that some chemicals would and that washing up liquid shouldn’t be mixed with it. 

DJT said:

So I Did a fsg job on a house today. Lady warns me that decking out back is very slippy, I went round to check it out and it was. Did the Job, no issues, packed up. Went round the back for one final check and just wipe sills down and I went straight on my **** and landed on My tail bone. It was SORE! 

She came out and apologised, checked I was OK etc etc.

My question is, has anyone refused to do a job due to state of decking or similar? 

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Glad you are ok fella. It’s so important to be careful. Decking is a real death trap. I really don’t know why people have it. Its dear to put down, and guaranteed it will bring somebody down. People dont look after it this is the trouble. Should be painted at least once a year with it being a flat surface its completely exposed to the elements. In reality this never happens. I’ve had decking collapse under my feet as its been completely rotten and i only fluctuate between 12 and 13 stone. Nearly broken an ankle on one or two occasions. Both those customers have ripped it up and had patio slabs put down thankfully but i still have many more customers with problem decking.

trouble is its too many properties to turn the work down.

on any surface in winter it should Be a calm walk, if decking doesnt get you, mossy slabs will, wet grass is easy to slip on, and ice is the biggest threat of all. Slow and steady wins the race. 

Dale Transparent said:

Washing up liquid is fine, mixing hypo with ammonia would create mustard gas. Washing up liquid doesn't contain ammonia

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Putting washing up liquid in hypo is illegal and can cause haylothorms and clorothorms  ( spelling is probably wrong ) which are known cancer causing agents ,washing up liquid will not cause mustard gas that’s caused by adding another household substance that shall remain nameless 

P4dstar said:

I didn’t mean washing up liquid would create mustard gas mate, just that some chemicals would and that washing up liquid shouldn’t be mixed with it. 

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Ah, my mistake, agree other chemicals shouldn't be mixed with it, especially acid based chemicals.

Bart90 said:

Out of interest, how do you clean it?  My decking is getting to the point where it needs a clean!

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Just put a degreaser down and scrub then wash off

Part Timer said:

Just put a degreaser down and scrub then wash off

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De greaser won’t kill the algi that caused the slippery ness it needs either a biocide or hypo to kill it , evan if you pressure wash it the algi will re colonise very quickly and it will go slippery again especialy in the winter when it’s wet and damp .

Works on the few decking jobs I've done. Doesn't need to be green algae to be slippy

Just tred carefully the only jobs i turn away are when dog poo us every were on back garden 

Bart90 said:

Out of interest, how do you clean it?  My decking is getting to the point where it needs a clean!

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Either pressure wash it to get the surface dirt and what green you can or hose it down then scrub it with a broom and washing up liquid, you can buy a product called Wet & Forget which is ideal for around your own home and works well, then I would treat it with Barrettine decking oil, I use have used the wood preserver on a decking planter and garden furniture and the water just beads on the surface like a freshly waxed car. 

Ide give it a lite pw and then bio it 

If you don't have hypo, can you just use a stronger mix of household bleach?

Part Timer said:

Just put a degreaser down and scrub then wash off

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Would virosol be suitable do you think?  

Never used it, @Pjjdoesn't think it will and he does a lot more of this type of work than me. As it's your decking I'd try a small section before doing it, personally would think if it's only greasy then don't see why it shouldn't

Part Timer said:

Never used it, @Pjjdoesn't think it will and he does a lot more of this type of work than me. As it's your decking I'd try a small section before doing it, personally would think if it's only greasy then don't see why it shouldn't

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 Virosol , ubik, and all other similar products are designed as a general smooth surface cleaner to remove road grime and general dirt they will remove algi from UPVC , and aluminium cladding on commercial buildings , but arnt really suited for wood ,and stonework ,decking evan if you cannot see it will be covered in algi and bacterial growth generally a black or dark colour , just pressure washing and scrubbing will help but you need to remove ( kill) the problem with either hypo or bio products if you don’t it will very quickly re colonise that’s what makes it slippery again very quickly , the best way to explaine it is the more often you cut your grass this encourages it to grow again it’s exactly the same with algi and bacterial growth on decking unless you kill it you are just encouraging it to re grow .