I have a outside porch and three steps when wet is slippery. The wood is about eight years old and I have been told that it is because there is mildew on it. It is like a slime. Does anyone have any cheap ideas for a fix? When there is snow and/or ice, I put salt on and that helps. But when it is just wet, I am at a loss what I can do.

It was suggested that I get that indoor/outdoor carpeting, or the artificial grass, but right now the budget won't handle either.

Any and all suggestions will be most appreciated. Oh, I have tried bleach on it as well and that did nothing.

Thank you!

They make a thick, heavy tape that can be used on steps to help it from being slippery. I'd bleach the steps and scrub them good before putting it down. The hardware store should have it for not too much money.

We always kept a bag of sand on the porch in Maryland-just sprinkle it on the wet slippery or icy areas as needed.It won't melt like salt, and it is a cheap fix.
The sand was kept in a waterproof resealable bag and was always ready to go.

I had the same problem, so a guy I know came over and put roofing material on it (its black and sparkles and its like sand paper). I can't remember exactly what it is called though. It really helps, my back stairs were the same too. Not very safe at all. Sometimes you can get it from someone at a construction site for free.

What Nawna is talking about is tacking and you can get it at any Home Depot. It comes in a roll and you just nail it down. You may also want to try sanding down the slippery spots with a coarse grain sander then using a wood treatment to keep the freshly sanded area from getting wood rot. I would recommend Behr.