It is still a bit cold out but before you know it, it will be time to start your yearly spring cleaning. There is nothing more rewarding or more liberating then clearing your house of clutter and organizing for a new season!

One place people often forget to tidy up is, their patios and porches. Start this years spring cleaning with your outside patio or porch with the following tips. Remember nothing is more inviting than a clean and tidy space to entertain guests!

1. Power Washer:If you don’t already own a power washer, its time to invest in one! Using pressure washers is a great way to clean up all of the previous years dirt, leaves and grim from your patio or deck. Without the use of toxic chemicals; the absence of chemicals is good for both your patio and the environment.  The best thing about using a pressure washer is, no matter what your patio is made out of whether that is wood, cement, or brick power washers are safe and will do the job! Many power washers also come with a detergent chamber, allowing you to add eco-friendly soap just in case you need a little extra help!

2. Cleaning your patio furniture: Depending on the type of patio furniture you have you can either continue using the pressure washer or you can switch over to a garden hose. I suggest using a garden hose for nicer pieces of patio furniture since using a power washer can add unnecessary wear and tear to your nice collections.

• For Wicker furniture, first vacuum with an attachment to remove any dust and other particles. Then gently wipe down with a mixture of mild soap and water. After this is done, take your garden hose and rinse thoroughly.

• For Wrought Iron, use a mild soap and water mixture with a sponge. Let the sponge soak for a few minutes and then wipe the wrought iron in a circular motion. It is best to only work in small sections at a time. Next, simply hose down with your garden hose making sure all of the cleaning product is eliminated.

• For Aluminum furniture, use a mild dish soap and lightly wipe down the whole piece. Next you need to take care of any scuffed areas. To best remove these, try a gel or liquid non-abrasive cleaner such as Soft Scrub. This will likely remove the scuffed area without damaging the finish. Rinse thoroughly with your garden hose.

3) Patio Umbrellas: If you left your patio umbrella outside or in a shed all winter, expect the creepy crawlies to be hanging out. Umbrellas are a great shelter for all types of bugs trying to get away from the winter chill. Another types of insect to look out for are, yellow jackets especially in the mid-west and east coast states. In the fall, male yellow jackets get kicked out of the nest and must find their own shelter for the winter and a patio umbrella can be the perfect spot. On the upside if you clean your umbrella in early spring when it’s still cold out, the yellow jackets will still be in their comatose state, presenting no immediate harm. Take a broom and brush them off, they will likely fall to the ground until they warm up enough to fly off.

To clean your patio umbrella, hose off spider webs and other dirty spots. After you do this rinse off and scrub the fabric gently with a mixture of water and dish detergent. Using this water mixture instead of other chemicals will insure that your umbrella’s water resistant coating will not be stripped off.

At All American Fine Outdoor Patio we have a large selection of luxury patio furniture as well as, patio accessories. Please visit your closet locations or shop our selection of patio furniture online!