Improve the Safety and Appearance of your Child’s Play set I clearly remember my first play set. My parents bought a wooden play set for my three older brothers and me. It had a swing set part, a bright green slide and a little house at the top that you had to climb up to go down the slide. It kept me busy for hours, but the second year we had it, the wood started to dry out and I got numerous splinters, ouch! Play set, like fences and decks and other outdoor wooden surfaces, have to be cleaned and treated periodically to look good. And, in the case of swing and play sets, to keep them from splintering and causing cuts. Any wood surface that stays outside all year is apt to dry out and fade over time. Heavy rain can lead to moisture, mold and mildew buildup. The sun’s UV rays affect the color and texture of the wood too. When the sun hits wood, it starts to heat and dry. Wood that has some sort of protectant on it will hold the moisture, but as it dries, the wood will lose its warm color and turn grey. Not only will it look less than inviting, but it could also cause injury. Wood decks, fences and play sets will start to crack as the wood dries. Wood that is breaking down can cause some cuts and splinters if kids aren’t careful. 
At Renew Crew, we use our 3-step cleaning and sealing process on wooden swing sets. The first step is applying a foam cleaner to the wood. The foam is environmentally friendly and won’t damage surrounding grass, flowers or trees, but is tough enough to loosen embedded dirt and dead wood fibers. After the wood “cleaning product” does its job (normally around 10 to 15 minutes), we use a pressure washer to rinse the play set. The pressure is kept at a level strong enough to properly clean, without marking or gouging, the surface. Lastly, we protect the wood from further damage and dirt with our sealing protectant. This very important layer will repel water from soaking into the wood and acts as a shield from the sun’s harmful rays. If you have questions on cleaning and protecting your outdoor play sets and swing set, please contact your local Renew Crew office. February 26, 2014 · Cleaning Outdoor Surfaces, outdoor maintenane, Renew Crew, Renew Crew Clean, and Uncategorized