Whiskey fungus removal from fences and decks

Wood soaks up the black growth in a way vinyl and metal do not. A long board fence can go from clean to sooty in a single season downwind of a warehouse.

Fences and decks show whiskey fungus first, and they show it worst. They are wood surfaces out in the open air, and wood soaks up the black growth in a way vinyl and metal do not. In the farm country around Bardstown, a long run of board fence can turn from clean to sooty black in a single season. If that is what your fence or deck looks like now, the growth is treatable, and we will remove it.

Whiskey fungus, Baudoinia compniacensis, is a naturally occurring organism that grows wherever ethanol vapor is in the air. Bourbon aging warehouses release a small amount of ethanol as the barrels breathe (the "angel's share"), and the fungus feeds on it. That is simply how the organism lives, so there is no one to blame here. Our job is the removal. We get your wood clean and keep it that way.

It helps to know what you are dealing with. Whiskey fungus is a property problem, not the toxic indoor black mold people worry about, and it has not been established by health authorities as a significant hazard to human health. The real harm is to your property. The dark film coats the wood, holds moisture against the surface, and ages a fence or deck before its time.

Why wood gets hit hard

Baudoinia feeds on the ethanol vapor in the air, so it does not need the wood itself to survive, but wood gives it exactly the surface it likes. Grain is rough and porous, full of pores the growth grips and settles into. Once it takes root in the grain, a quick rinse will not lift it. On a flat deck the problem compounds, because the boards stay damp longer and the fungus builds into a slick film. That is a genuine slip hazard on steps and around a pool.

Why pressure washing is the wrong method for wood

It is tempting to blast a black fence with a pressure washer, but high pressure is the wrong tool for wood, and it does lasting damage. Wood is soft. High pressure raises the grain, splinters the surface, and gouges out the softer wood between the growth rings, leaving a fuzzy, furred texture behind. It also strips off whatever stain or sealant was protecting the boards. The result looks briefly cleaner but is worse off, because a roughened, stripped surface drinks up water and fungus faster than before. We never use high pressure on wood.

Our soft washing approach

We clean fences and decks with soft washing, a low-pressure method built for exterior cleaning that will not chew up the wood. The cleaning solution does the work, not the force of the water, and it kills the fungus at the root rather than just the surface. Soft washing lifts the black out of the grain without splintering or furring, leaves existing stain and sealant intact, and handles the whiskey fungus remediation without the collateral damage that pressure brings. As the film comes away, the natural color of the wood comes back with it.

What our fence and deck cleaning service includes

Every job is a little different depending on the wood, its age, and how long the growth has been building, but the process generally runs the same way:

• We inspect the wood first, checking the species, the condition of the boards, and whether there is stain or sealant to protect.
• We protect the surrounding area, wetting down and covering nearby plants, grass, and beds before anything is applied.
• We apply the soft-wash solution at low pressure, working it evenly across the boards, posts, and rails so nothing is missed.
• We let it dwell, giving the solution time to kill the fungus down at the root rather than just loosening the top.
• We finish with a gentle, low-pressure rinse that carries the dead growth away without driving water into the grain.
• We check the results and rinse down the area, so the wood restoration is even and the site is left clean.

You are left with the black growth removed and the natural color restored, not a stripped, fuzzed-up surface you now have to sand and refinish.

What to expect

Soft washing is safe for wood and for existing stain and sealant, so you are not risking your finish to get the fungus off. There is no splintering and no fuzzing, because no high pressure ever touches the boards. We manage the runoff and rinse down the surrounding area, so you are not left with a mess in the yard or beds. Most fences and decks come out clean and even, with the natural color restored.

How long the results last depends on your surroundings. The fungus grows wherever ethanol vapor is in the air, so as long as barrels age nearby it will eventually return, and wood generally shows it again sooner than harder surfaces do. Most people here plan on a yearly soft wash to stay ahead of it and spare the far bigger cost of replacing boards that rot early under a permanent black coat.

Vinyl and metal fencing too

We are not limited to wood. Whiskey fungus settles on vinyl fencing, chain link, aluminum, and metal rails as well, and the same soft washing handles them. The solution lifts the growth off at low pressure and cleans these surfaces without the scouring or oxidation that pressure can cause. Whatever your fence line is made of, the exterior cleaning is the same.

Common questions about fence and deck cleaning

Will cleaning strip my deck stain?

No. Soft washing is designed to kill and lift the fungus without stripping the finish underneath, so your stain and sealant generally stay intact. That is why we use a low-pressure solution instead of high pressure, which does strip finishes. If your deck is bare wood, cleaning simply leaves it ready for a fresh finish.

Can you clean a fence without damaging the wood?

Yes, and that is the point of soft washing. Because the solution does the work at low pressure, the grain is never raised, splintered, or gouged the way high pressure would do it. Your boards come out clean and smooth, with the natural color restored rather than a furred-up surface.

How often should I have it done?

Generally once a year works well for wood here, since fences and decks tend to show the fungus again before harder surfaces do. The exact timing depends on how close you are to aging warehouses and which way the wind runs. We are glad to take a look and tell you what your property needs.

Get a free fence and deck cleaning quote

If your fence or deck has gone black with whiskey fungus, it is handled. We serve Bardstown and Nelson County with soft washing that removes the growth, protects your wood, and restores its natural color. Call (502) 431-2856 for a free quote, and we will get your fence and deck clean.