Log homes have so many features that make them a desirable place to spend time in. Aesthetically, they evoke so many emotions such as quiet, peace, and relaxation. If you own a log home yourself, you know that they also demand a certain amount of attention on a regular basis when it comes to properly maintaining them.

One part of routine maintenance we want to address is cleaning the exterior logs. This is an important task that should be done periodically. The frequency depends on all sorts of factors such as where the log home is situated in terms of overhanging trees, dirt paths, grass clippings from mowing the lawn, cobwebs, etc.  Is the home located along a dirt road? Is there splash back onto the logs when it rains? Are there birds nesting in the eves and leaving behind bird droppings on your logs? You get the picture.

It is a wise idea to clean the logs to remove as much of the residue mentioned above. Clean logs breath better, therefore they dry out more readily. Cleaning them can help remove spores that can cause mold or mildew to develop. Most importantly, it is necessary to clean them in preparation for applying another coat of finish to them in order to maximize the stains ability to penetrate and adhere to the wood itself.

We recommend cleaning logs with a combination of water and a wood-friendly detergent, i.e. TSP (Trisodium Phosphate Cleaner). We want to stress that we DO NOT recommend power-washing logs to clean them. Applying water under high pressure can be detrimental to the “health” of a log building. For more information on this, check out this link to our site “Blasting vs. Power Washing”. Though this page refers to the negative side of using power washing as a method to remove failing stain, the reasons for not doing it apply even if you just want to clean your logs. (more…)