We whisked through winter with our winter cleaning tips and made spring cleaning a breeze. With summer just around the corner, we have a new set of cleaning tips for the new season ahead. Although the summer weather may be warming up and the sun is shining, summer often presents some unique messes. From garden grass stains, backyard BBQs and dollops of melted ice cream, summer can be a cleaning challenge. Here are some outdoor cleaning tips, perfect for the summertime season.
 

Get Going on the Gutters
It may be one of the most dreaded tasks after the fall and winter season, but spring and summer means it’s time to get going on those gutters.

• Equip your lawn and/or leaf blower with a gutter friendly attachment so you can easily blow out debris from your gutters.
• If using a hose, remember to wear rain gear because it’s inevitable you are going to get wet.
• Use a hand held garden tool, preferably with prongs, to push leaves out of gutters.
• Wear gloves to protect your hands from any sharp twigs or small branches.
• Once all debris has been removed from gutters, use a spray nozzle to flush away remaining dirt and to clear downspouts of any built up debris leftover from the winter months.

Tidy Up the Garage
With outdoor furniture, grilling gear and pool toys, your garage may need some organization.

• Go through tools and other building materials. See if a neighbor is in need and give them anything you no longer need.
• Give floors a good sweeping with an outdoor broom.
• Wash windows with a glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth.
• Put up storage racks and shelving units to store both practical and recreational items.

Perk Up Patio Furniture
Patio furniture can easily get covered in sweat, sunscreen grease and drops of melted ice cream. A little time and elbow grease is all you need to keep your patio furniture looking its best.

• Grab your garden hose and spray patio furniture with water.
• Scrub down with an all-purpose brush and some dish soap.
• Rinse clean with fresh water from the garden hose and let the summertime sunshine dry it off.

Make the Grill Glow
Clean grill grates so remnants of previous meals don’t transfer to new foods being grilled and prepared.

• Turn the grill on and let the grates get hot.
• Place a lemon on a long-handled fork and dip it in a bowl of salt then rub the salt covered lemon over the grill grates.
• The lemon’s acid will cut grease while the salt acts as a scrubbing agent.
  Dealing with especially dirty grill grates? Avoid using a metal grill brush and instead use a Heavy Duty Scrunge to scour away tough grease and grime from all your summertime grilling.

Clean Pool Toys
Plastic pool toys, floats and inner tubes need to be cleaned periodically. Grab a natural cleaner, like vinegar, and sponge to wipe them down. Vinegar is a great solution to use for disinfecting and since it’s a natural cleaner, you don’t have to worry about harsh chemicals touching you or your child’s skin.

Enjoy the summertime season and remember, you can bring your cleaning to the great outdoors!