Deck cleaning removes dirt, algae, and surface stains to restore the deck’s appearance and safety. Deck restoration includes cleaning plus additional services like sanding, stain removal, and applying new protective coatings. If your deck just needs freshening up and hasn’t been neglected for years, cleaning might be sufficient. But if you see gray weathering, old stain peeling, or wood that’s lost its natural color, restoration is probably the better investment. The good news is that proper cleaning is always the first step in restoration, so you’re not paying twice if you decide to upgrade the service level.