Fall makes a wonderful time to clean your cable railing, a process that you should undertake at least twice per year (and more often if you’re within a mile of a body of water).
As you put away your deck furniture and batten down the hatches for winter, taking some time to clean ensures that your cable has protection for the months ahead. Even if you live in a warm climate where you can still use the deck in winter, the change of season is a good time for a cleaning.
What’s the best way to clean your cable railing? Here is our advice!
Cleaning Posts and Railings
To begin, use a microfiber cloth and a recommended cleaner (like Windex or similar) to wipe down your posts, top rail, and bottom rail if you have one. If your powder coating is textured, you might notice the cloth “catching” on the texture and leaving lint behind. In this situation we recommend a gentle, non-abrasive scrub brush (nothing with wire bristles!) to remove any stains or dirt.
Cleaning Cable Infill
Once your posts and rails are clean, it’s time to move on to the cable. Using a microfiber cloth, apply a thin coating of Boeshield's Rust Free® Rust and Stain Remover to all of the cable and the fittings. This cleans off any dirt and helps to remove discolorations that may have formed since the last cleaning.
After cleaning (and after the cable has dried), it’s time to apply protectant. Make sure to choose a day without rain, gently shake the cable (to make sure there’s no moisture droplets lurking), and then use a microfiber cloth to apply a thin layer of Boeshield T-9® Waterproof Rust & Corrosion Protection to the cable (and to the support balusters if you have Key-Link vertical cable).
Once you’ve completed your cleaning and protectant application, you are ready for the winter!
For more information and a place to keep track of your cleaning dates, download our cleaning guidelines here.