Summer is just around the corner and that means entertaining friend and family on the patio. If you’re going to be spring cleaning your patio, there are some easy tips for getting your patio in shape for all summer activities.
Spring Cleaning Your Patio
Clean Windows and Sliding Doors – This is a must if you have pets and or children. Nothing messes up a beautiful view to the outside like nose prints and little finger prints. You can use a household window cleaner like Windex or you can make your own with distilled vinegar and water.
Patio Furniture – If you have a pressure washer and your patio furniture is sturdy enough, spray away. Otherwise you can use a little dish soap to make a sudsy solution to wash down plastic and painted surfaces. For cushions use a hand held vacuum to get all the dust and debris left behind from a winter outside.
Cobwebs – If you’ve got a covered patio or lanai, you’ve probably got some cobwebs. Use the hand held vacuum to clean them up quickly. Same goes for under patio furniture and any other place they might be hiding.
Screen Doors – If the screens pop out take them out and wash using the hose and some soapy water. If they don’t pop out you can use a soft brush or vacuum to get the dust off the screens. Use soapy water to wash the painted surface of your door to remove finger and hand prints. Don’t forget to wash the area that animals rub against, about a foot off the ground.
Garbage Bins – If you’re like most people you don’t give much thought to your outside trash bin. However, it probably stinks. If your trash hauler doesn’t come around and clean them from time to time (and most don’t offer the service) you can take your garden hose and a little bit of dish soap to clean it up. A pressure washer would work well here, too, but the hose will do the job in a pinch. Once cleaned leave open in the sun to dry thoroughly.
Grill – Use the scraper that came with the grill to remove dried or burnt food. Turn the grill on high and scrape away. After the grill has cooled down you can wipe the sides down to remove excess grease from the sides of the grill. A seasoned grill is a good thing, but you want to remove excess grease that could start a fire. Check briquettes to see if they need replacing on gas grills. Don’t forget to remove any cobwebs from the hood of the grill.