What's the best fix for wet, slippery wood?

Pressure wash! This is the easiest and most satisfying. Your stairs will look like new again. If you haven't done this yourself, it's pretty easy but be careful not to blast your steps to smithereens. We try to pressure wash the patio every few years. A handyman would be happy to do this too. It takes hours.

There are also anti-slip treatments, basically grit mixed with paint/resin. There are friction strips you can apply too. I haven't tried those, though.

30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner

I agree with pressure washing - with the caveat that in addition to maybe blasting your steps to pieces, it may strip off whatever finish is/was on your steps. If your wood steps have a finish on them, scrubbing with outdoor cleaner is best bet. Another low-tech option for unfinished wood or wood that you plan to re-finish is to sand them. I just used a sanding belt (80 grit - typically used in a belt sander) slipped onto a 2x4 cut to fit. Took 5 mins to make tree house stairs less treacherous. Good luck Joe!

I think the answer to this question depends on the type of wood. I have a deck made of ipe and have to treat it with deckwise every 2 years. I also pressure wash it as part of the treatment, but on a relatively gentle setting. In researching this, I read a few horror stories from homeowners who have ruined their decks by pressure washing at too high a setting or by using the wrong chemical for the wood or finish. Be careful!

I highly recommend using a plastic polymeric grit with outdoor paint. Prep the stairs by sanding (which will clean the slime and prep the wood), then do a coat of paint, sprinkle on the grit, and do a final coat of paint to cover the grit.

Polymetric grit is best because it is clear and you won’t see it as readily as sand or anything else you might use.

If you’re looking for a particular product name, we used Seal Krete Clear Grip last time...got it at Lowe’s or Home Depot.

Lastly it’s best to do this in spring or summer when you can be sure things will fully dry without being rained on (Seattle :)

+1 for 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner. It really does work that fast but beware: it may bleach the wood so test a patch if that's a concern for you.

Cleaning is but a temporary solution, esp. around here. A cleaner and/or a pressure washer will eventually dry and check the wood. Steve's solution of non-skid grip is the best long-term answer. It will be non-slip even in the dead of a wet Seattle winter.

We just put down adhesive non slip strips from Homedepot.com for a friend after she slipped and broke her wrist.

We also stapled them down bc the wood was still slightly damp. Glad we did bc some adhesive didn’t stick.