As the winter months slowly come to an end, you might finally believe that the snow will actually melt and give you back your outdoor space. However, the debris of autumn combined with the ice and snow of winter can cause havoc to your patio, even if you’ve already invested in a patio cover to keep things clean and dry during the indoors season. Left unchecked, these can not only make your patio look unsightly but can also start to damage and degrade the furniture and even the patio itself.
When the snow and ice have melted enough that you can clear your patio fully, it’s time to spring clean your outdoor space and make it ready for summer outdoor living. Follow these simple tips to get your patio ready for use:
- Pressure wash everything – the first task you’ll need to do to make your patio spring time ready is rent or buy a pressure washer. Even with a metal or vinyl patio cover, dirt and debris can easily get in the cracks between the stones or planks. Not only will these make everything look dirty, but they can also become homes for tiny seeds and weeds which will eventually crack and spoil your outdoor area. A pressure washer will also clean off any ice and snow residue and make sure that you start the new season clean and fresh.
- Wipe down furniture – keeping your outdoor furniture clean is a natural and obvious task for your patio spring clean. However, there are a couple of tricks beyond a simple wipe down and dusting. For metal surfaces, you need a soft cloth and a metal protection solution to not only clean away rust from the winter but to help protect against the heat and storms of the summer. For rattan and wicker furniture, you (or someone with a lot of patience!) will want to go through each hole to clean it out and check for damage. It takes a long time, but you’ll find the furniture will look brand new once you’re done with it.
- Reseal wood surfaces – the final spring clean task is to treat all exposed wooden surfaces. This ideally should be done on a yearly basis to keep the wood safe from rot and pests, and to make your patio look fresh and brand new at the start of each season. Make you sure you buy outdoor wood treatments, and where possibly buy the same brand and colours each year so you don’t spoil the visual effects of your patio.
One of the best ways to save yourself time in the spring when you’re cleaning your patio is to invest in a patio cover from Desert Sun Patios. Not only will a patio cover give you shade and protection in the summer, but it also deflects debris and snow over the winter, meaning that you’ll be able to spring clean your patio in next to no time. There’s a wide range of patio cover options to meet all outdoor needs and budgets, so make your appointment today to take your patio game to the next level.
