When we think about tasks in the garden, a little weeding is usually what springs to mind. Actually, yard maintenance is more than removing unwanted plants and mowing the lawn; gardens need other upkeep and cleaning too! From that grubby driveway to unsightly barbecue rust, there are many other efforts that need to be done. So let’s get out in the garden; read on for some tips to get the outdoor space of your dreams.
1. Clear away any garden debris
Before you do anything else, dead fallen leaves should be tackled with a rubber rake. It’ll make scrubbing your patio easy, and you can even put them to work by making compost for your flowers and plants.
2. Maintain your guttering
To keep the outside drainage system of your home in tip-top condition, you need to clear out your gutters. If not, water can seep through gaps in your brickwork and enter your home, causing all kinds of havoc like dampness and mould. Hedgehog gutter brushes will stop leaves from getting stuck and blocking your pipes, cutting down the frequency of gutter cleaning. If water is flowing down the side of your house, however, your gutter may be damaged, and it’s time to get it replaced.
3. Use a concentrated cleaner for patios
A beautifully clean patio space is a great centrepiece for a laidback, harmonious garden. It’s a place for you to sit with a book or entertain friends, but when patios get dirty, they’re not exactly enticing. At FILA, we have a line of great products that clean and seal to get your patio looking back to brand-new. Have a read of our post on cleaning patio tiles for some helpful tips, no matter the type of surface you have. DETERDEK PRO works well as a limescale detergent to remove salt residues left by rain, and CLEANER PRO is a concentrated cleaner that can be used on any type of material. Additionally, STONE PLUS ECO provides stone and agglomerate protection and revives the original colour of polished, untreated and tumbled natural stone.
4. Maintain your gardening tools
After a job well done, it may be tempting to down tools and enjoy the garden. Cleaning them regularly, however, will prevent disease from being spread between plants in your gardening time.
5. Tackle your barbecue area
Another curse of garden paving is the small splashes of fat that can build up around a barbecue area. If possible, they should be immediately cleaned because if they are left, they can become dangerously slippy. FILA’s PS87 PRO is a degreasing alkaline cleaner and is ideal for hard to clean grease marks on unpolished acid-sensitive stones. NO RUST is also great for combatting barbecue rust that can stain your paving – apply directly and leave to work for just fifteen minutes or in case of oily stains use NOSPOT.
6. Deal with any slippery paths
In wet, shady conditions, it is common to see the appearance of growths like algae. Although they won’t actually damage your path, they can be very unsafe and cause the surface to be slippy. ALGACID removes algae and mould in just fifteen minutes with its easy to use spray applicator. After properly treating the surface, apply HYDROREP ECO to create a barrier and prevent any more nasty growths.
7. Clean old planters and pots
Have you noticed a white powdery substance on your garden pots? This is a buildup of salts leftover from fertilisers and hard water. Although it won’t actually harm your plants, it doesn’t look very nice, and it’s better to remove it with a stiff nylon brush.
8. Get garden walls happy again
To keep your garden looking nice, it starts with the plants, especially any climbers that cover your walls. Although they make an excellent feature, if they are not properly looked after, the dye from dead flowers can leave marks. Combat this with PS87 PRO and HYDROREP ECO, two products that will help you to clean and protect garden walls. The latter will also protect from mould, lichen and algae and deterioration caused by weathering.
9. Revive your driveway with a concrete cleaner
On top of providing handy off-street parking, driveways are great for improving the look of your home. Oil and other debris, however, can spoil the effect making your driveway look ugly and old. FILA’s PS87 PRO is a concrete cleaner and is effective against stratified oily stains. Sealing your driveway will also make future maintenance easy and enhance the colour – try a concrete sealer like CONCRETE SHIELD.
10. Wipe any furniture down
If your garden furniture is looking a bit tired, FILA’s CLEANER PRO will also be a dab hand at wiping it down. Just don’t apply it on fabric; for this, you’ll need an upholstery shampoo, allowing to fully dry to avoid your chairs developing mildew.
Thank you for reading our post; we hope you enjoyed and have all you need for a spruced-up garden. For more information about any products mentioned, please get in touch; our team would absolutely love to assist! Thanks again.
