Inspiration

Step-by-step exterior house cleaning guide

Article by Homes to Love

Get your outside areas in tip top shape with step-by-step tips for tidying up your decking, pavers, brickwork and guttering

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Now is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and take on those irksome jobs around the home and garden that you’ve been ignoring for months.

REVIVE TIMBER DECKING IN 6 STEPS

1. Sweep away dust, cobwebs and leaves
2. With a softwood deck, scrub surface with a hard-bristled brush and a mild detergent solution to remove embedded dirt, grease and grime. If your deck is made from hardwood (iron bark, merbau or blackbutt) it’s safe to wash with a high-pressure cleaner
3. Rinse with water
4. Once the deck is dry, apply two or three coats of your preferred timber coating. If decking is peeling, flaking or mouldy, you’ll need to strip it back and sand the surface before recoating.
5. For stubborn stains, apply an oxalic acid-based cleaner;leave for 15 minutes and wash away.
6. For an even finish, apply timber coating with a soft, pure-bristle brush

GET YOUR PAVERS CLEAN AND TIDY

1. Be careful not to remove the jointing sand from new pavers. Don’t use vacuum sweepers or water for three months after installation.
2. Spread a coarse sand over pavers.
3. Dampen sand with a hose.
4. With a stiff-bristled broom, sweep sand over pavers and repeat. Hose off excess sand.
5. For tough stains, clean with a chemical or acid wash (check your manufacturer’s instructions first) and a stiff brush or high-pressure cleaner.
6. For quick, effective cleaning, try Kärcher’s K3.190 T250 1.6W High Pressure Cleaner and Diggers Rust & Stain Cleaner, both from Bunnings.

EXTERIOR BRICKWORK REVIVAL

1. Use a cobweb brush to remove cobwebs and loose dirt.
2. Fill the tank of a pressure washer with exterior house-washing detergent. Set the washer head to ‘spray’ so the detergent mixes with the water. Then, set washer head to ‘fan’ and clean brickwork, running the water evenly across the surface.
3. For stubborn stains, change to the ‘roto’ nozzle setting and focus the pressure cleaner on the stain.
4. To finish, use a fixed or rotary brush and concentrated detergent to scrub away any stubborn marks by hand.

CLEAR GUTTERING IN 3 STEPS

1. Remove loose leaves from the gutter.
2. Fill the tank of a pressure washer with exterior house-washing detergent. Set the washer head to ‘spray’. Then, set washer head to ‘fan’ and clean gutters.
3. To ensure down pipes are clear and free of dirt and leaves, attach a drain pipe cleaner to the pressure washer. It will pull itself through the pipe and spray water in different directions.

Photo by: Chris Warnes/Bauersyndication.com.au

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