My 8 Favorite Outdoor Sprucing Tips #readydoneclean

By Mandi 06/07/2013

On the scale of 1-10 ten being my favorite thing (going to the thrift store) I put cleaning at about a 4… ok a 3. And cleaning stuff that is not normal everyday cleaning? How about a .75.

But it has to be done, so we are chatting tips and tricks to sprucing up your outdoor space.

1. Move Your Stuff. This one might be a little forehead slapping good but it is AMAZING the things that can secretly build up behind the things we put in our yard. Check out the corner of my porch…its a little embarrassing. I never would have seen it, if I didn’t move the giant pot.

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2. Get Rid Of Broken or Dysfunctional Items. In my case,  this vinyl no solicitors sign. Every time I come in my front door I look at it and grimace. It is CLEARLY not functional. Which also explains my new vacuum, security system, and the stack of religious pamphlets that are accumulating in my entryway. Hmmm.

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3. Wipe Down Your Front Door. Sometimes we forget how with looks without a layer of dust/pollen on it. If it especially grimy or water spot laden use Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro Spray. I gave mine a good scrub with a Magic Eraser and then a coat of Danish Oil.

Outdoor Magic Eraser

4. Scrub Your Floor. Whether you have  concrete or wood or both, they can each use a good scrub down. I prefer using a deck brush, but if you have a power washer that is awesome too.

5. Get The Paint Off Of Your Driveway. Who me? Pssh.

Ok fine.

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I always seem to have overspray on my concrete. Throw down a thick layer of Citristrip and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then use a deck brush to scrub the paint. The reason I use Citristrip is because it doesn’t  discolor the concrete like an acid wash or harsher paint strippers can.

6. Bust Out The Magic Eraser. Remember when I proclaimed my love and devotion of Magic Erasers for paint prep? Well guess what? They make outdoor ones. BAM. If I had to have one of my hands transformed into a cleaning tool for the rest of my life, it would be a Magic Eraser. THAT is how much I love them. I use mine to scrub everything from the BBQ to my furniture. And because its outdoor, the durability is through the roof.

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7. Get Ready To Paint! Now that you have cleaned and prepped your old furniture, give it a coat of color with your favorite can of spray paint!! Remember to put down a drop cloth so you don’t have to repeat step 5!

8. Add Greenery. Head to Home Depot and grab some plants,  it is ridiculous how add such a small thing will totally transform a space.

neon-concrete-blocks Source

Now for the REALLY fun part! I am giving one lucky reader a chance to do all of this! I have teamed up with P&G and Home Depot to giveaway 1 Package of Outdoor Magic Erasers,  1 bottle of Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro Spray,  1 roll of Bounty paper towels, and $100 Home Depot Gift Card!

P&G Home Depot Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter below by leaving a comment with YOUR favorite outdoor cleaning tip, trick, or secret!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love Your Guts

 

 

 

 

This post is in collaboration with Procter Gamble and The Home Depot. All opinions (and real life messes for that matter) are 100% mine.

257 thoughts on “My 8 Favorite Outdoor Sprucing Tips #readydoneclean”

  1. Cleaning = Pressure washer and compressed air, blow the spider webs, dead stuff out, then spray wash everything.

  2. Ideally a pressure washer….but a hose will do….
    vinegar and a magic eraser. I even use them on my windows to get the hard water spots off the glass…..oh, and for window exteriors…Rain-x…..:)

  3. My grandmother always complains about the weeds that grow between the cobblestones on the path to her front door. My secret: white vinegar. It completely takes care of the weed issue and is a natural solution instead of using harmful chemicals.

  4. I like to make sure I dust first– surprisingly. But wispy little spider webs are terrible to walk through while you’re trying to do everything else!

  5. Clean light fixtures!!! Those things get crazy dirty and buggy!!

    I have vinyl siding on our house so it’s super easy to clean – I do it the natural way with a vinegar solution, scrub brush, and water hose….but the pressure washer would probably work faster.

  6. Use a broom or hose to get rid of cobwebs on the porch. And if you don’t have time for that, distract guests’ gaze by placing, candles, flowers, and most importantly, food, on tables on the porch!

  7. magic eraser the patio furniture. especially the arms of the chairs. buildup after a long winter, who wants to put their arm down on that. yuck!

  8. Love my magic erasers. But I had no idea they had outdoor ones! A whole new world of possibilities has now been opened!

  9. Been working on the landscaping and filling pots with flowers, guess I should pay attention to the house and pretty her up.

  10. Magic Erasers are the bees knees!! I’m sorry I couldn’t tweet about this…between my obsession with Pinterest and the countless hours I spend on Facebook, I don’t think another social media sight will get me off my butt and getting things done! Pinned! Thanks for the opportunity 🙂

  11. my favorite outdoor cleaning tip is to spray you’re outdoor upholstery fabric with Thompson’s water seal spray! It’s amazing! Water just rolls right off I even use it indoors for my dining room chairs and they never get dirty. 🙂

  12. my favorite outdoor cleaning tip is to spray you’re outdoor upholstery fabric with Thompson’s water seal spray! It’s amazing! Water just rolls right off I even use it indoors for my dining room chairs and they never get dirty. 🙂

  13. I love how the piece of paper behind your pot says “frequent” when that is what didn’t happen behind the pot…frequent sweeping!” 😉 Thanks for the wonderful tips! I’ve added them to my honey do list! 😉

  14. Moving everything is a great tip! Another way to help everything LOOK clean is to lay down fresh mulch in the flower beds makes everything look extra finished and professional!
    -Elle

  15. My deck is begging for a cleaning. My neighbor even offered the use of his power washer. Sheesh, I need to get on that already!

    Thanks for a great giveaway!

  16. Um…I rake?! I don’t do much outdoor cleaning unless it is time to rake up the pecans that are left over from the fall. 🙂 I seriously need to start though, our porch is a mess!

  17. my tip? just keep up on it! I set aside 10-15 a week to sweep, wipe, arrange, and fix all the little things that can build up into big things by the end of each season. this is also a good way to track the durability of furniture and keep up on your plants and keep weeds out.

  18. We only just moved into our first home, so we don’t have much experience cleaning outdoors yet. But so far just basic landscaping makes a huge difference!

  19. The Magic Eraser for patio furniture & the bbq! I never even thought of that. I love Magic Erasers too but I didn’t even consider it for an outdoor item- not sure why. Thanks for the tip!

  20. Another thing that makes the house look brighter and newer is washing the windows inside and out and cleaning off the nasty screens! Those things are nast magnets!

  21. what!? Didn’t know that there was a magic eraser for outdoors. Well now I will have to get my porch cleaned just to try it out. Normally I just sweep and clean glass with vinegar.

  22. Not really a trick but picking up yard debris and mowing lawn does make Abigail difference( whether you have weeds or not).

  23. I really need to do this list because our outside (front and back) has been neglected for quite a few years. In my defense, I’ve only lived here for about 10 months!

  24. Seriously, I just hose everything off. Even the kids. 😉 I’ve gotta step up my game this year! Having more land to take care of is so happy and quite the adjustment! I went from having the typical miniscule St. George backyard, to over a half of an acre including an orchard. LOVE IT and WHOA! All at the same time. You should come consult on my fun little 1940s cottage!!

  25. This reminds me of my gross front door. There’s still sticker residue form it being vacant for a year (foreclosure) before we bought it. I’d really love to just repaint it but I don’t have a screen door to keep the kitties in while I do that. Maybe cleaning it will make me feel better.

  26. The thing I find that makes our house look the most clean is, keeping cut grass and weeds out of our mulch. Nothing sets a house off like some nice clean mulch! Hello curb appeal. BOOM!!

  27. Growing up on the beach white wicker furniture is everywhere. We use a stiff brush moistened with salt water and scrub. It cleans it perfectly and you can let it just dry in the sun.

  28. MY best tip would be to not forget all those spiderwebs lurking in the corners. Get out the broom and clean it all out. Makes a big defference.

  29. Don’t forget to clean the windows if you have french doors. Little puppies loooove to get slobber and boogers all over them! Windex is your friend!

  30. one of my favorite things to do that really help make things look better is to change out my outdoor rugs (the small ones in front of the doors)! they are usually under $15 and can make a huge difference!

  31. I have never thought to use Magic Eraser outside- great idea! – My tip to refreshing your yard is to change things up – whether it be moving your furniture or adding new accessories – treat your yard like another room in your home!

    Cheryl @ The Creative Me and My McG

  32. Sprinkle/sweep baking soda into cracks where weeds grow! Add colorful flowers to unconventional “pots” maybe a thrift store bowl, old wheelbarrow, broken birdhouse, or even a lone boot!
    ….well now i need to go thrifting!

  33. It’s not really a cleaning tip, but landscaping “clean-up” can make a huge difference! Trimming trees, breaking out the trimmer and getting all the runaway branches on your bushes or making sure to trim the edges of the grass instead of just mowing it like normal. It makes such a difference!

  34. Sweeping up the leaves, seeds and dirt. I did this last weekend and couldn’t believe what a difference it made! Thanks and love your blog!

  35. Every time I clean up the outside of our house, I think about how much easier it would be if I would just dedicate an hour a week to it. Hmph! Will I ever learn?

  36. my # 1 for flowerbeds is really a 1-2 combo punch. cow manure and mulch! plants love that stuff and a good layer of mulch really keeps those pesky weeds away.

    loved the post btw. cleaning (esp deep cleaning or organizing) is usually met with an eye roll. but what is crazy is that once i start in on a project- i get really into it and then i actually enjoy the process of purging and cleaning. its just the initial push that is hard!!!

  37. Investing in a good outdoor broom! Because no one wants to ruin their kitchen broom with yucky outside dirt. Thanks for the chance to win, I should probably clean up my deck now too…

  38. I am not ashamed to admit that our yard needs a lot of sprucing! M favorite tip is to get your kids involved. Mine love planting the garden every year and they are always willing to help water the plants. And each other, but that’s a different story.

  39. My favorite outdoor cleaning tip is put the kids to work. 🙂 Helping with yard work and cleanup is part of growing up. It’s a rite of passage into the world of chores. It’s necessary in a child’s life so when they grow up they can tell THEIR children that grandma and grandpa used to make them scrub the concrete with a toothbrush, pick up individual leaves by hand, pull weeds for hours on end, or whatever other exaggeration they choose.

    Oh, and I love my leaf blower, too!

  40. I spray down the sidewalk with the hose to get rid of the dirt from our potted plants. And I put terra cotta tiles and gravel around my vegetable beds to deter weeds from growing.

  41. I love adding plants and giving things a fresh coat of paint as well! Also, clean the outside of your windows to get off that same grimy pollen film. 🙂

  42. Ugh, how I hate cleaning… but magic erasers sure do seem to do the trick for about everything! My back porch is so gross because I never seem to want to get out there and do it. Thanks for the inspiration!

  43. My favorite outdoor cleaning tip is to take the time to hose the screens in your windows …take them off first ;)and then wash your windows.

  44. Definitely keep the front door and porch clean. It’s the first (and sometimes only) thing visitors see!

    P.S. I call Mr. Clean my other man, and when I first discovered Magic Erasers years ago, I may or may not have taken them to work to demonstrate their awesomeness to my co-workers. Oh, the little things in life! I’m such a nerd!

  45. I’ve always told people I would NOT be mad if they gave me a Home Depot gift card for my birthday. My outdoor secret is… live in an apartment so someone else does it for you! 🙂

  46. My best tip for outdoor cleaning is to use a pressure washer. No matter what material you have on your house it will do wonders in cleaning it off. The same applies to walkways and sidewalks.

  47. I like to use the hose to wash windows on the outside. Forget using up an entire bottle of Windex to get a winters worth of dirt off… a spray with the house, and a scrub with a rag works great!

  48. Find a pretty, easy to open, container to collect the garbage. The little bits of this or that that just lay around waiting for you to “do something” with them.

  49. One of my favorite but easy tips is to just rake leaves out of flowerbeds right before spring to get rid of all that icky stuff without much effort. Instantly looks fab!

  50. My best outdoor cleaning tip? I honestly never thought about it before. I’m a big fan of touch-up painting, but I realize it is not the same as cleaning. I like to make sure the outside windows are nice and clean. It just makes everything look better.

  51. Scrub the pollen off of everything and repaint the metal patio furniture. Add a few new plants and the difference is amazing!

  52. I use the broom, the hose, and spray paint to freshen up my patio areas! I love your yellow on the cement blocks…I think I’m going to use yellow on some old metal lawn chairs. Thanks for the inspiration!

  53. Usually just sweeping all of the leaves and dirt off of the porches makes a huge difference. Especially since it’s been so windy here lately. 🙂

  54. I’m trying to turn our funky basement into a snazzy apartment for our daughter and grandson. I’m gonna need a lotta paper towels!!

  55. You can kill weeds in gravel garden beds and in cement cracks by pouring boiling water on them. Totally free. Totally works.

  56. We get crazy spider webs by our entryway and I kept trying to sweep them away…which meant they were all smeared over the stucco. Then BAM! Duh, use the shop vac. Brand new!

  57. I think I’m also in love with the Magic Eraser, but I may start two-timing with M.E. Outdoor Pro once I get my chance with one . . . they are just amazing. Make cleaning not so awful. Taking time to teach kids is starting to pay off–it’s amazing how much they can do when they decide to. lol

  58. Definitely agree with putting some plants out for color and looking spruced up!! I love to clean with my Enjo cloths – no harsh chemicals – woo-hoo!!

  59. My fave outdoor cleaning tool is a pressure washer. Driveways and walks are like new. You can reach the upper windows with it…they are just awesome. Ours died last year and we are moving into a new house. Pretty sure I would use the gift card toward another one!

  60. glad I’m not the only one who would put thrift shopping as a 10:) My tip would be just get rid of clutter/stuff you don’t use, it will help with the “cleaning” part!

  61. Keeping my trees trimmed. I have this awesome long thing with a saw and pruner. I don’t know the name but love that thing!

  62. I would have to say the number one thing for me to do is to grab an old broom and get the spider webs down. Man! Those things can build up fast and make everything look cleaner in a hurry when you get them down.

  63. My Ryobi battery powered blower comes in handy all year long! Thanks for the giveaway!

    BTW… You are a HOOT girl! I really enjoy and look forward to your post and all the fun ideas! Keep sharing your GUTS out!

  64. A power washer cleans things up so quickly and easily! It can even be used to clear away weeds/grass in sidewalk and driveway cracks!

  65. We had someone show us about soft water and we had him fill an empty milk gallon to use and try later. And now we save it to wash our patio windows. This stuff works so well you almost can walk through the glass door.

  66. Does my sweet husband count as my best outdoor cleaning tip? I say do it and he does it 🙂 Leaves me free to play with the flowers!

    CINDY B on rafflecopter

  67. Giant push broom will clear off your sidewalk and porch pretty quick. Too lazy for that? Get yourself a blower, girl. I use that guy all the time.

  68. My favorite outdoor tip: don’t be afraid to hire a pro if you need to! DIY is great and I love to push myself to new challenges, but if it reduces stress so you can enjoy your space more, then pick up that phone!

  69. oh my, that concrete little planter system looks amazing.
    also, pretty happy to learn about the outdoor magic eraser! change my life!

  70. I have three big dogs, and a glass storm door that I keep closed so they can see out, but bugs stay outside! I find that dog drool is it’s own special kind of cement when it comes to windows! I spray the window down with a foam window cleaner, and then use my kitchen Magic Eraser. It cuts right through the drool, and leaves the window spotless!

  71. I love your tips! Time to clean the front door for sure! Thanks for the giveaway chance too! 🙂 Happy Summer!

  72. I had no idea there were outdoor magic erasers! I think they would be useful in cleaning up all of my decorative planters. My fav tool for sprucing up is my pressure washer. Thank you for the great tips!

  73. Clean windows make everything better. I wash them down with a rag and plain water, then touch everything up with a damp microfiber cloth.

  74. Pressure wash or hose down, yes, my dears, but here’s a PSA from your friendly neighborhood storm sewer manager: don’t hose into the street! :-). Always hose towards grassy or gravelled surfaces, so the water can percolate into the ground. Dirty water is bad for fish, and those drains lead directly to surface water in many areas without treatment. Only rain down the drain! Also, minimize your use of chemicals in favor of elbow grease – the environment will thank you!

  75. I live in an apartment so outdoor space is limited. I suggest painting everything a vivid color to keep the almost fully enclosed space bright. It may just be because I m partial to painting…EVERYTHING! Also didn’t know they made outdoor Magic Erasers, AWESOME! Also again, I am knew to your blog and have been like mad stalking all of your old posts. Is it creepy when internet strangers tell you they should be your best friend? Because seriously, we could be best friends.

  76. I don’t know if it’s a secret. And it’s a little shameful, but I make sure to mow down all the dandelions. Embarrassing.

  77. My favorite outdoor cleaning tip is a modified version of my granny’s tradition of bleaching and scrubbing her porch. I can’t handle the smell of bleach, so I mix up peroxide and baking soda and let it work miracles on my concrete patio area. Sometimes I’ll spray vinegar over that mixture, if it’s looking a hotter mess than usual, let it sit, and scrub away.

  78. I don’t really have any cleaning tips. But I did recently try (thanks to Pinterest) using pinecones in my planters to take up space, make it less heavy and help drainage and boy, it has helped my plants to thrive!!! It is a goldmine. Plus my parents house is surrounded by pine trees, so I get them for free- score!!

  79. I love anything by Method ! I think its fantastic !! You can use the all purpose cleaner on windows and then on your wood table 🙂

  80. My husband uses a blower for almost everything! Pollen, leaves, grass clippings, saw dust…all blown away! He’s itching for a pressure washer though!

  81. I like to do the cleaning a little bit at a time, I take care of things better this way and it seem like less work.
    Leidy R in rafflecopter

  82. Cleaning out the flower beds and adding new layer of mulch does wonders for the looks of your property. Also add some blooming flowers.

  83. I LOVE the pressure washer! I moved into a foreclosure, and the front porch was covered with residue from, get this…FAKE GRASS! So, needless to say, the pressure washer helped with that little problem and so much more!

    Thanks for the giveaway. Love reading the other comments, too, for more helpful ideas!

    ~Jillian

  84. I carry around a little bucket with me to pick up trash, dead leaves, twigs, etc so i can fill it up as I’m walking around and dump it in our yard waste/compost pile out back. That’s my only tip. I hate yard work and have only after 8 years started to take an interest in the outside of my home! Maybe this year I’ll plant a flower or two! Woohoo!

  85. i love that you said you’d choose to turn your hand into a magic eraser if you had to choose a cleaning tool. cuz i so would do the exact same thing. it’s basically the best invention ever.

  86. My husband just bought a pressure washer. It’s his new toy. He loves that thing!I definitely need to clean up the siding on our house. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

  87. Since my husband does the outside work, I’m afraid I can’t give a single hint. I can say that nothing makes my house feel cleaner than freshly washed windows, especially the sunroom.

  88. i love pressure washers! i don’t have one, though, so i just use the hose with a good sprayer nozzle for my attempts at cleaning the deck.

  89. We use a pump sprayer to spray the Clorox Outdoor Bleach on the sides of the house and then pressure wash. Looks like new!

  90. Shop Vac. My favorite thing indoors and out. I vacuum everything- it gets spiderwebs, gutters, leaves. And after pollen season, I spray off the porch,take the filter out of the vacuum, and it sucks up all of the standing water.

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