Ah, the dreaded spring cleaning… For most of us, “spring cleaning” is a four letter word, a task we’d consider paying almost anyone to do for us. The good news is that spring cleaning doesn’t have to take up an entire weekend or even break the bank by hiring a cleaning service to do the dirty work for you.
You can put 5 simple tips into practice to spruce up your deck just in time for warmer weather – in only a few hours of your time:
- Prepare your space. Enlist the help of a spouse or friend to help you move each and every piece of furniture off your back deck. This task should take no more than 10 minutes and will provide you with a blank slate in a completely bare deck that you can clean and prep from top to bottom. Trying to clean around deck furniture is inefficient and a waste of time; removing furniture will give you room to clean and complete any upgrades that may be needed.
- Wash your deck. After you clear off your deck completely, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. But instead of scrubbing on your hands and knees, use a simple tool like a long handled cleaning brush with a squeegee that can remove dirt and debris that have accumulated over the winter season. Make sure to choose the right cleaning products for your deck material; ipe wood can be cleaned with a pressure washer and wood cleaner to restore it to its original coloring.
- Restain your deck. You may want to leave your deck in its raw state, or you can touch up your deck stain to reduce visible wear and tear. Most deck corrosion is caused by both sunlight and moisture once deck materials are exposed to the elements. A transparent protective stain can be used to showcase the natural colors of deck wood; solid or opaque stains can be used to cover deck materials completely for full protection against the UV rays of the sun.
- Clean deck furniture. Before lugging heavy furniture back onto your newly cleaned deck, take a moment to rinse and wipe down patio tables and chairs. Indoor/outdoor cushions can be cleaned with a solution of ¼ cup laundry detergent mixed with a gallon of water. Scrub the solution directly onto fabric cushions to remove visible stains, as well as pesky mold and mildew that may have built up over the winter.
- Scrub your house’s exterior. Your house will look positively dingy in comparison to a sparkling clean deck once your project is complete. Take the time to wash and scrub the exterior siding and windows of your house. Window screens can be hosed off, glass windows can be wiped down with window cleaner and newspaper, and house siding can be scrubbed with a house cleaner and a garden hose or pressure washer. Viola! With a little extra elbow grease, your house and windows will be in tiptop shape to match your newly cleaned deck.
Guest Post Provided By: Everlasting Hardwoods
