As the weather warms up, many household tasks require our attention; and balcony cleaning tips are more important than ever for those preparing and decorating their balcony for the summer. But it’s never as simple as sweeping up the mess. The winter months take a toll on outdoor spaces, and oftentimes they require special attention to detail to ensure every nook and cranny is fresh and ready to welcome you and your guests for the summer.
To help you keep your outdoor space in tip-top shape, we’ve compiled the best balcony and patio cleaning tips, which can improve its appearance and comfort.
Related: 15 Tips on How to Use Your Balcony All Fall and Winter
Step 1: Remove All Furniture and Accessories
Before you do anything, remove any items and outdoor furniture from your balcony or patio. This step is essential to ensure you have enough space to move around and do the work, and to protect your items from potential damage.
Step 2: Sweep or Vacuum Away Debris and Dust
Depending on the floor type, use a broom or vacuum to remove dust, cobwebs, leaves and other debris that may have accumulated on your balcony during the months it wasn’t used. Pay close attention to corners or smaller areas where dirt can easily accumulate.
Related: The Best Low-Maintenance Plants for City Dwellers
Step 3: Hand Wash or Mop the Balcony Floor
Using a bucket or large bowl, add dish soap or a gentle cleaning solution with warm water to help dilute it. Then, use a mop or sponge to clean the floor, again drawing your attention to corners and hidden areas. Once the floors are done, you may refresh your cleaning bucket or bowl and repeat the same process to clean any railings, poles or other safety features that have also collected dirt you can wipe away.
Step 4: Spot Clean Hard-To-Get Spots With Stronger Products
For areas where your diluted cleaning solution wasn’t successful, spot clean with a stronger cleaning product, such as a degreaser, to clean up stains. It’s best to tackle this step after a full mop to see where those trickier spots exist easily.
Related: 10 Things You Should Never Clean With Bleach
Step 5: Rinse Everything With Clean Water
Once you’ve mopped or spot-cleaned the floors, rinse them with clean water to remove any soapy residue or cleaning solution that has pooled in certain spots. If you live in an apartment or condo, this step can disrupt neighbouring balconies below you. Check with your property manager or landlord to review any rules around spraying down a balcony. If you cannot do so, wipe it down manually with a clean bucket of water.
Step 6: Deep Clean the Windows
While you may feel the urge to clean your windows first, waiting until the floor has been cleaned will help you avoid doing the same step twice, as splashes of water and cleaner will likely hit the windows while you wash up the floors. If your windows don’t appear too dirty, you can get away with a quick surface wipe down using glass cleaner. For windows requiring more attention to detail, check our guide on giving your windows a proper clean.
Related: 10 Best Ways to Add More Privacy to Your Backyard Oasis
Step 7: Let It Dry Out
Letting your balcony dry entirely before you put furniture back or decorate is important. Depending on the direction your balcony faces, the morning or afternoon sunshine could help speed up the drying process. If it still feels damp at the end of the day, wait until the next morning to bring it back to life.
Step 8: Seal or Cover the Floor
If your balcony, terrace or patio floors are concrete, you can protect them from stains using a sealant. If that’s not an option, interlocking patio tiles could help keep the surface clean from potential mess. And if all else fails, you can always throw down an outdoor rug that matches your unique taste and style.
