First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Rinse a fresh stain promptly with cool water.
- Don't rub soap or bar soap on it. It sets fruit stains.
- Blot liquid with a clean, dry white cloth. Rubbing spreads the stain.
- Keep heat away until the stain is gone, because heat sets it.
Berries and cherries on a deck leave a tannin stain, so soap is the one thing to skip because it can set the color. Wood takes plain water and oxygen-based cleaners well, which makes the gentle route the right one here. A pressure washer is tempting on a deck, but it can damage the boards when it's used carelessly.
A cherry stain on cedar needs a lighter touch than the same mark on pressure-treated boards. Check whether the boards are cedar or gray and weathered before you choose a cleaner. An oxygen bleach powder is the product to try first on a stubborn mark, and rinse the area thoroughly afterward.
Before you start
What decks & wood fences can take
Safe to use2
- Water
- Oxygen bleach
Use with care5
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
6 items
What you'll need
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- Dishwashing detergentMakes the suds you apply to the stain. Use a dishwashing detergent, not a bar soap. (opens Amazon)
- Hot waterHelps the detergent whip up into a thick foam.
- Clean white clothsOne to apply the foam and one to rinse. Keep them clean as you go. (opens Amazon)
- White paper towelsGood for blotting the spill before you start. (opens Amazon)
- Garden hoseA low-pressure spray is the recommended rinse for wood.
- Rubber glovesNeeded only if you move on to the oxalic acid treatment. (opens Amazon)
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Blot up the spill
Press a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towel onto the stain to soak up the liquid while it is still fresh. Blot instead of rubbing, because rubbing spreads the stain across the boards.
Step 2 of 5
Mix the detergent suds
Stir dishwashing detergent into hot water and swish until it makes a great volume of suds. You want the foam rather than the liquid, because the foam is what goes onto the stain.
Step 3 of 5
Apply only the foam
Dip a clean cloth into the suds, taking up only the foam, and apply it to the stain. Dab and work the foam in gently, then leave it on the spot briefly before you rinse.
Tip. If the first cloth picks up a lot of color, dip a fresh one.
Step 4 of 5
Rinse with clear water
Wipe the area with a clean cloth dampened with clear water to lift off the foam and anything it loosened. For a larger area, a garden hose on low-pressure spray works for the rinse, as long as the pressure stays low.
Step 5 of 5
Dry the boards completely
Let the wood dry thoroughly before you look at the spot again. If a mark is still there once it is dry, the set-in section explains the next step.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for berries on decks & wood fences
For a stubborn spot, choose a deck cleaner labeled for wood and test it on a hidden board first. Use it only after the steps have been tried.
OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover Powder
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on decks & wood fences, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
A rinsed and fully dry deck shows the stain gone or much lighter. If a faint mark remains after drying, the stain is still in the wood, and the set-in treatment is the next step.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your decks & wood fences
Cedar and other soft wood
Cedar is a soft wood, so keep the cleaning light and let the foam do the work. Don't power wash it or use a caustic cleaner, because that removes wood from the surface.
Use the same five steps with the same low-pressure rinse. Dab rather than scrub, and let the rinse do the lifting.
Gray, weathered wood
Gray, weathered boards often need more than the foam steps. Commercial deck cleaners, brighteners or restorers remove mildew and dirt so the wood's own color shows through.
If all the natural color has leached out, the wood stays silver when dry, and those fibers should be left in place. The stain itself can still be treated, but only with the set-in methods below.
Pressure-treated wood
Pressure-treated boards take the same foam steps and the same low-pressure rinse. The one thing that changes is what you leave out, which is bleach, as the mistakes section explains.
If you can't tell whether the wood is pressure-treated, treat it as if it is and follow the same steps. Work the foam gently, the same as on any wood deck.
Old, dried or set-in stains
If the stain is old, the foam steps may only lighten it. Rub the spot with a cloth dampened in a solution of 1 tablespoon oxalic acid to 1 pint water, then rinse well and wipe dry. Oxalic acid is poisonous, so don't let it touch your skin, and wear rubber gloves while you work.
A stain that has dried into the wood is harder to shift, and one pass often won't finish it. Once the boards are dry, repeat the foam steps and then the oxalic acid, letting the wood dry between rounds.
Some color can stay even after a careful treatment, because the wood holds its own tannin. That is a realistic result on old boards, so judge the stain by how much is left rather than by whether it is completely gone.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on berries on decks & wood fences?
Most berry remedies in common guides are written for clothes, so only a few apply to a deck. Detergent suds do the main work on a deck, so apply only the foam and check the spot before trying anything stronger.
Works1Helps3Skip1Avoid1
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Baking soda + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
OxiClean's label says not to mix it with other household chemicals.
Hydrogen peroxide (3%) + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Don't use or store the mixture and don't seal it in a bottle. Open windows and leave the room if you notice fumes, coughing, eye or throat irritation. Rinse it away with plenty of water once the area is ventilated. If anyone has symptoms or swallowed it, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or use poison.org.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use a pressure-washer tornado tip
Narrow-stream and rotating tornado tips are not for decks at all, so keep any rinse on a low-pressure spray. The foam steps don't need that kind of force.
Don't scrub with steel wool or wire brushes
Leftover iron in steel wool and wire brushes reacts with wood extractives and stains the boards. A stiff synthetic-bristle brush, used along the grain, is the safer choice if you need to scrub.
Don't let cleaner or soap dry on the deck
Cleaner and soap left to dry on the boards leave their own marks. Rinse the foam off once the stain has loosened, so nothing is left on the wood.
Don't bleach a pressure-treated deck
Chlorine bleach breaks down lignin, corrodes metal fasteners, harms plants, and doesn't kill mildew spores on this kind of wood. Leave it out of the job entirely.
Don't bleach or wet-clean old CCA decks around kids and pets
Wetting old CCA wood raises the surface arsenic, and bleach releases chromate. Keep kids and pets off wet CCA wood, and call a professional before you clean it.
When to call a professional
Old CCA lumber should be replaced rather than cut or burned, because its sawdust and smoke contain arsenic. A pressure washer can damage a deck in the wrong hands, so hire a professional for heavy cleaning or for any repair you're not sure of.
Questions
How do I clean a cherry stain off a deck?
Blot up the spill, then apply dishwashing detergent foam from hot water to the stain with a cloth. Rinse with clear water, and let the wood dry before you judge it. If a mark stays, move on to the set-in section.
Can cherry stains on cedar be cleaned with the same steps?
Yes, the same foam steps work on cedar, and the low-pressure rinse suits it well. Keep the touch light, because cedar is soft and takes damage more easily.
Does a stone or brick deck need different cleaning?
Yes. Wipe up the spill and rub with a detergent-and-water solution, then sponge with clear water. The masonry section covers the details.
Can I sand the stain off a wood deck?
Only as a last resort, and only lightly once the wood is dry. Try a scrub with a stiff synthetic-bristle brush along the grain first.
Can I use club soda or salt on a deck stain?
No, both are fabric first aid for wine and don't add anything to the deck steps. Stick with the detergent foam and the clear-water rinse.
Why does my gray deck still look dull after cleaning?
Weathered wood may have lost its natural color, and cleaning can only show what's left. If the natural color is gone, the wood stays silver, which is normal for old boards.
Berries on other materials
Other stains on decks & wood fences
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.