Cleaning your home is something you must do on a regular basis to ensure that it is hygienic. However, this often requires a mixture of cleaners that can be harsh, especially on your skin. Because of this, many people are turning to more natural cleaning options that get the job done without irritating the skin or causing other problems.

The good news is that you can head to your pantry or refrigerator and find effective cleaners that will not bother your skin. This also saves time because using food often means just using one or two items to clean.

Having a great deck allows you to spend plenty of time outdoors enjoying your family and friends. However, deck maintenance is a critical part of the process or else you may find yourself frequently needing to make repairs.

Taking care of your deck is not that difficult and as long as you perform the right maintenance tasks on a regular basis, you can be sure that your deck will be in great shape for years to come.

Create a maintenance schedule and stick to it so that you can get the most out of your deck.

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• Early Spring Deck Maintenance
  • Remove all of the debris
  • Plant protection
  • Choose a cleanser
  • Cleaning the deck
  • Sealing

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• Late Spring Deck Maintenance
• Midsummer Deck Maintenance
• Early Fall Deck Maintenance

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Early Spring Deck Maintenance

When you get to this time of the year, it is time to wash your deck and get is prepared for the warm weather festivities. When you wash your deck on a regular basis, this prevents the wood from rotting because mildew and mold will not be able to build up.

Use the following steps to wash your deck at the end of spring:

Remove all of the debris: This is the first step in the cleaning process because you want to get rid of all of the loose debris that is littering your deck. Use a putty knife to get between all of the boards to remove the debris. You should then take a broom and sweep away everything that is loose.

Plant protection: You will be using a variety of tools and cleaners, so you want to make sure that your plants are not affected. Use plastic sheeting to cover and protect all nearby plants.

Choose a cleanser: The type of cleanser you need to use will depend on the material of your deck. Use the following as a guide:

Cleaning the deck: Use the appropriate cleanser and water to fully cleanse the surface of your deck. A power washer can be helpful and just make sure that you use the right nozzle and water power level to clean the material of your deck. You can use a non-abrasive scrubber to remove stains.

Sealing: Make sure that your deck is fully dry before you add the sealer. It takes approximately two days for a deck to dry completely.

Late Spring Deck Maintenance

During the late spring, you want to fully seal your deck so that it is ready for regular use. Use the following steps to seal your deck:

Midsummer Deck Maintenance

Inspect your entire deck for any problems or issues with structural integrity. Look for things like loose boards, rotting wood, mildew, and mold. If you notice any problems, it is important that you immediately make the necessary repairs to prevent worsening.

Early Fall Deck Maintenance

This is when you want to take preventative measures and make sure that your deck is ready for the harsh winter weather. Do another inspection and make sure the clean and seal your deck, if necessary. Just make sure that the weather is mild when you do this.

As you can see, deck maintenance does not require an extensive amount of work. While there are a lot of individual tasks, the major ones do not have to be done as often. It is best to plan out the maintenance tasks so that you can be sure that you get them done as needed.

As long as you take good care of your deck, you can be confident that it will be in excellent shape. Regular maintenance allows you to protect your investment so that you are able to enjoy your outdoor space whenever the mood strikes.

Related Articles:

• How to Clean a Deck
• How to Paint a Deck Efficiently

A minor skin infection is not uncommon but is can be quite the nuisance. This is especially true for those whose immune systems are not fully healthy because this type of infection can spread and cause major issues.

If you know which household items to keep clean and how to properly clean them, you can work toward making your home much healthier. This helps to ensure that you do not end up with a random skin infection in the future.

These appliances are becoming more and more popular nowadays, but many homeowners do not know how to use a pressure washer in a safe manner while also preventing damage to various surfaces and objects.

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Most Important Tips

• Use the Proper Protective Gear
• Prepare the Working Environment
• Get the Power Washer Ready
• Start Cleaning

Recommended best pressure washers

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How to Use a Pressure Washer: Most Important Tips

Read on these pressure washer tips and learn how to effectively use such a device to get the most out of it.

Use the Proper Protective Gear

Before getting to the question of how to use a pressure washer, you should first make sure that you gear yourself with the proper safety equipment. Get a pair of protective goggles and also a pair of shoes with a rubberized sole.

This will prevent you from slipping when walking on wet and slippery surfaces. You may also want to add a pair of gloves and wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants in order to protect yourself from flying debris and dirt.

Prepare the Working Environment

Before learning how to use a pressure washer, you should also make sure to prepare the working environment.

Pressure washers are quite powerful and they can damage plants or breakable objects. Move all the objects out of the way and cover the surfaces you want to be protected before starting to spray.

Get the Power Washer Ready

Depending on the type of pressure washer, you want to get the device ready for work. If it’s an electrical pressure washer, make sure to connect the electrical plug to the machine. In the case of a gas power washer, fill it with gasoline or engine oil depending on its type.

Next, you need to connect the water supply to the power washer. Plug a garden hose into the water inlet of the washer and don’t forget to turn on the water supply – not doing so can cause the pump to become damaged.

If you want more efficient cleaning, fill the reservoir of the machine with a detergent solution. The last step before starting to spray is to attach the right type of spray tip to the nozzle. Make sure you have the appropriate one for the type of cleaning and surface you want to clean.

Start Cleaning

Now that you know how to get ready, you also need to know how to use a pressure washer to clean properly. Stay at a minimum distance of 2 feet away from the surface you are about to clean in order to avoid damaging it.

The sprayer tip should be no closer than 12 inches from the surface. To prevent debris from flying all over, you should hold the nozzle at an angle of 45 degrees to the cleaning surface.

If you’re wondering about how to start a pressure washer, you should know that you can activate it just by pulling the trigger. Once you start cleaning, you should use side to side movements.

Also, make sure you don’t stay in one spot for too long so as not to damage it. Apply any detergent if needed – just let it soak for a few minutes before you rinse it.

Follow these tips on how to use a pressure washer and also make sure you check the manufacturer’s instructions – this will allow you to use it safely and properly for your cleaning needs.

Recommended best pressure washers

• AR Blue Clean AR118 Pressure Washer
• AR Blue Clean AR383 Electric Pressure Washer
• Simpson Megashot 3125 Power washer
• Sun Joe SPX3000 2030 PSI Electric Pressure Washer