How do you keep under your decking 'clean'?

[OhioOhioOhio]

Following on from the thread where the poster said she got a rat because of her neighbours decking...

I have substantial decking. It was expensive to build and necessary to make the garden safe for the kids.

Every now and again pour bleach underneath and hose it down.

Any other tips?

Decking does attract rats, it's a safe space they can burrow and nest. It doesn't have to be because there is food under or on the decking , more if there is food nearby, so for example, bird tables, compost heaps, bbqs etc.

So depressing that you’d even consider pouring bleach where it will very likely cause serious problems/death for wildlife.

When we built ours we just made sure it was blocked off completely so nothing could get under it.

I don't get why anyone would put decking in the first place

but pouring bleach? Please don't!