Green Outdoor Cleaning Tips

There is no greater time of year than summertime.

If you're anything like me, you try to experience summer to the fullest by spending as much of your time outside as possible. But spending all that time outside should give us a new appreciation for how important it is to preserve our beautiful grass, trees, and bodies of water for future generations. So while we might want to do our best to spruce up our outdoor spaces, we should always keep Mother Nature in mind while doing so.

When cleaning a deck either in the backyard or up at the cottage, you would typically think about using a pressure washer, heavy duty cleaner or chlorine bleach and lots of elbow grease. Although that method does work, how eco-friendly are the processes? A lot of water is wasted with pressure washing, and bleach or other chemicals end up on your property—or worse, they end up running into a nearby lake or stream. A better choice, which won't ruin the wood (but test it on your deck stain first!) is to use oxygen bleach and water. Simply follow the directions on the label of the product you purchase for diluting and get to work. This will rid the deck of dirt build-up, stains, and mold, and should restore your deck to its former beauty. You will need a bucket and a scrub brush to do this job and the elbow grease requirement doesn't go away—you will have to do it manually for great results. The good news is, the by-products of oxygen bleach when used with water is only soda ash, water, and oxygen—which is great for you and the environment. When you are done, give the deck a quick spray with a garden hose and you are good to go.

Patio furniture can also be cleaned with the same solution of water and oxygen bleach, using a sponge rather than a harsh scrub brush. I would suggest testing any surface first before using the solution to make sure it does not cause any discolouration or erosion (it shouldn't, but it's worth testing). Sponge it on, leave it for a few moments, then sponge it off. If there are tight corners, get an old toothbrush and use it to agitate those areas. You can also try using baking soda and water to form a paste which should help remove stains and heavy dirt if you find the oxygen bleach is not working. For anything that is getting rusty, there are environmentally-friendly rust removal products out there, and you should absolutely be using this to clean and protect your furniture from further rust damage.

Furniture coverings and other outdoor upholstery need a good cleaning now and again since the fabric tends to have a lot of holes which trap dirt. The solution of oxygen bleach and water works great on this kind of fabric and again should not harm the patio furniture. Of course, test in an area first and then get down to the dirty work. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and spray generously onto the fabric. Leave to sit for about 10 minutes and then rinse with a garden hose. Stand it up or hang it to dry, you will love the results!

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