Outdoor Spring Cleaning: Decks, Patio Furniture, Lawn Mowers, and More

As you take to the outdoors this spring, you may find that your yard is in need of some serious TLC. Once you’ve compiled your outdoor spring cleaning checklist, it might seem like an endless number of chores. From maintaining the exterior of your home to keeping your yard neat and tidy, there’s a lot to be done. 

No stress. Charlie’s Soap is here to help. With just one of our products—our versatile Indoor & Outdoor Surface Cleaner—you can get your outdoor spring cleaning done in a snap. Here’s a quick guide to tackling the big chores on your outdoor spring cleaning checklist. 

Decks 

Outdoor decks and patios are big on most people’s outdoor spring cleaning. If you’ve never washed your deck before, it can seem like an insurmountable task. Good news—it can actually be pretty straight forward. 

Start by simply clearing off patio furniture and any large debris. Then, using your yard hose, spray away the surface grime. Next, it’s time to mop, but you might need a more powerful cleaner than the one you would use for your kitchen floor. To lift mud, dirt, and grime, you need a tough all-purpose cleaner that targets residue without harming exterior surfaces. 

That’s where Charlie’s Soap comes in. Our powerful Interior & Exterior cleaner is perfect for all-things spring cleaning. For decks, create a mixture of 3 parts water to 1 part Charlie’s Indoor & Outdoor. Using a mop or cleaning cloth, wipe the deck floor. For tough areas with thick accumulation, you may need to pull out a scrub brush. 

Afterwards, just rinse the deck clean. Like all Charlie’s Soap products, our Indoor & Outdoor surface cleaner is completely safe for the environment, so you don’t need to worry about runoff into waterways or chemical residue on your lawn. Voila! Your deck is primed and prepped for your next barbecue. 

Patio Furniture 

Patio furniture comes in many different materials. Some materials, such as wicker and delicate woods, may require more care than others, but, with Charlie’s, the process is about the same for all patio furniture. Start by removing any cushions or cloth coverings. Then, rinse the area with clean water. Using a cleaning rag, gently wipe the legs, seat, armrests, and back with a diluted mixture of 10 parts water to 1 part Charlie’s Indoor & Outdoor cleaner. After a final rinse, turn the furniture upside down and allow it to dry in the sun. 

To clean your patio cushions, check out our liquid and powder laundry detergents. Our ultra-concentrated detergents are strong enough to take on the toughest stains the outdoors can offer. If the cloth covers and cushion coverings are machine-washable, you can toss them in with some Charlie’s Soap to restore them to ultra-clean. If the material isn’t machine-safe, or the cushion covers aren’t removable, you can easily wash them by hand. By dissolving a few tablespoons of our liquid or powder detergent in several cups of warm water, you can create a powerful DIY cushion cleaner. Saturate the cushions thoroughly with the cleaning solution, being sure to target any stained areas, then rinse thoroughly. Afterwards, allow them to completely air-dry. 

Lawn Mowers 

As the season of well-manicured lawns approaches, it’s a good idea to set aside some time for your lawn mower. To clean your mower, start by removing the lawn mower bag, if your model has one. For extra protection, wear gardening gloves, and turn the mower upside down to remove debris surrounding the blade. Using a garden hose, spray the mower, top to bottom, making sure to target any remaining debris on the underside of the mower. With a scrub brush, clean the mower using Charlie’s Indoor & Outdoor surface cleaner. Then, simply rinse away with cool water.  

Exterior Lighting Fixtures 

As the snow melts away, it may reveal layers of dirt and grime that have been accumulating on your lighting fixtures. The first step to cleaning outdoor lighting fixtures is the trickiest. After ensuring that the lights are turned off, take apart any removable panels, frames, and tops. Next, simply submerge all of the deconstructed parts in a diluted mixture of warm water and Charlie’s Indoor & Outdoor. After allowing it to sit for ten minutes, wipe away residue with a cleaning cloth. 

Then, wipe down any non-deconstructable surfaces. Take a minute to replace any dead lightbulbs, and simply put the lighting fixtures back together.

Swing Sets

Regular cleaning is necessary to keep your swing sets in tip-top shape. Though power-washing is a convenient way to clean an extra-dirty swing set, it’s not the only way. You can tackle your swing set with nothing but Charlie’s Indoor & Outdoor, a lawn hose, and some elbow grease. 

First, spray the surfaces of the swing set with Charlie’s Indoor & Outdoor surface cleaner. For heavy soil, allow extra time for the Indoor & Outdoor to strip through the accumulated dirt and grime. Then, wash all surfaces thoroughly using a scrub brush or cleaning rag, then rinse away.

Spring Cleaning Made Easy 

With just one of our highly-concentrated cleaning products, you can tackle your outdoor spring cleaning checklist—and our Indoor & Outdoor surface spray is only the beginning. Need a powerful cleaner for interior spring cleaning? Check out our Kitchen & Bath cleaner. Tackling tough summer stains, like grass and watermelon juice? Our stain solutions are perfect for messes big and small. Prepping the grill for barbecue season? We’ve got the expert advice you need.

Our products do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to. Clean, for life—that’s the power of Charlie’s Soap.