The outdoor area of your house is an extension of your living space. Keeping it looking clean, tidy, and welcoming to guests isn’t always an easy feat, especially in the winter months when weather damage may go unnoticed!
Of course, homeownership comes with a certain degree of responsibility in caring for your outdoor areas. If you’re hoping to maintain or improve property values, your patio, deck and pavers should be cleaned regularly with the right tools. In the long term, you’ll be ensuring dirt and grime won’t cause irreversible deterioration.
The pride of many Australian homes is often the outdoor entertaining area. Problem is, whether you have decking, patios or pavers, these features will naturally get dirty over time.
Here’s a guide to maintaining outdoor areas so that they stay looking new and shiny for years to come.
How to clean and maintain your deck
Decks are usually made of composite materials or wood. Deck maintenance will include thorough cleaning to make sure it stays in near-perfect condition. Deck washing should, at the very least consist of a bucket of water mixed with an environmentally friendly cleaner and a scrubbing brush. Harder spots may benefit from a high pressure clean of your wooden decking. Either way, remember to wait until the surface is completely dry before using a sealant or decking oil (linseed oil is suitable for some hardwoods) to prolong its lifespan.
How to clean and maintain your pavers
Pavers are attractive and hard-wearing for outdoor areas. However, without correct maintenance they can lose their lustre over time. Being subjected to weather exposure can leave pavers, bricks and limestone surfaces looking mossy or muddied. If you use the space for barbecues and entertaining, food and oil stains quickly leave things looking pretty shabby. (Read how to remove oil stains from pavers).
Thorough paver cleaning consists of regular washing with a spray attachment to prevent the accumulation of dirt in the pavers’ grouting. For more advanced cleaning, invest in high-pressure cleaning equipment with hot water and chemical-adding capacity, which will allow you to restore your pavers to their best condition.
How to clean and maintain your patios
Patios usually feature outdoor tiles, sealed to protect them from the elements such as intense sunlight or rain. Patio cleaning needs the right cleaning solutions and process to prevent damage to your tiles’ protective coating.
First, sweep the surface of your patio. Then, use the garden hose to gently wash and wet the tiles. Next is the hard work bit: grab a firm-bristled scrubbing brush and an environmentally friendly cleaner, working back and forth to loosen accumulated dirt. Some tough stains, and staining of the grout may be difficult to remove by hand. If a few minutes of scrubbing doesn’t seem to help, you may want to consider a professional, high-pressure pavement washing machine to restore your patio.
Considerations for hiring a professional cleaning service
The upkeep of your outdoor area can be taxing, and there are occasions where it may be advantageous to use a professional cleaning service, particularly when it comes to pressure cleaning,
- Saving time and the money it takes to hire or buy a pressure cleaner;
- Usage of correct cleaning techniques to different outdoor surfaces;
- Ensuring that the cleaning job is effective, through the proper use of cleaning agents and how they are applied
Booking for professional cleaning
Keeping your outdoor areas free from dirt and grime is never going to be an easy or enjoyable task. Get a professional opinion with a free, no-obligation quote, so give Kleenit a buzz to discuss your outdoor cleaning needs.
