Before the weather cools down, celebrate those warm summer evenings with an outdoor party. We teamed up with Scotch-Brite™ and put together this outdoor entertaining cleanup checklist to help you tidy up and get your backyard bash-ready. Bonus: Download and print out our free outdoor entertaining cleanup checklist!
□ Clean chair cushions. To make an all-purpose outdoor cleaning solution, mix 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid with 4 cups of warm water in a bucket. The day before your party, use a soft scrub brush dipped in the solution to clean chair cushions, then hose off the cushions and stand them up in the sun to let them dry. Tip: The night before your party, store the cushions indoors to prevent dew or water from sprinklers from soaking through the cushions.
□ Sweep off outdoor furniture and patio or deck. Use a broom to clear furniture of dust, leaves or bugs, then sweep the patio or deck itself.
□ Remove cobwebs. Use an extension duster to get the cobwebs in tough-to-reach places like the top and inside of outdoor lights, under furniture and under arches or doorways.
□ Hose off furniture and patio or deck. Turn your hose on full blast (use a nozzle if you have one to focus the spray) and do a quick once-over to wash away surface dirt.
□ Wipe down porch railings and patio furniture. To wipe away any leftover grime from tables, umbrella poles, porch railings and the arms and legs of chairs, dip a scrub sponge (we like Scotch-Brite Extreme Scrub Sponges) in all-purpose outdoor cleaning solution (see above), then gently scrub off mildew, bird droppings or other stains. Use a cloth to dry tabletops thoroughly after cleaning. Tip: Invest in waterproof tarps to cover your patio furniture outdoors or store it inside during the off seasons.
□ Pick up after your pet and/or kids. Do a once-over for any pet droppings or toys lying around the yard.
□ Prune plants and rake leaves. Don’t let dead leaves lie around. Remove them from planters, bushes or around your seating area. Grab a leaf blower or rake to rid your yard of excess leaves as well.
□ Weed and mow. Weed flowerbeds and grass, then mow the lawn.
□ Clean your grill. Start by scrubbing the grates with a grill brush, then soak them in a bucket of your all-purpose cleaning solution (see above) for 15 minutes. If you have a gas grill, clean the grill burners and burner protectors with your cleaning solution and a sponge, such as Scotch-Brite’s Extreme Scrub Sponge. Remove the plates and drip pan at the bottom of the grill and empty them into a trash can, then soak them in a bucket of your cleaning solution for 15 minutes before using your grill brush and a sponge to get off any remaining gunk. Finally, rinse each piece with a hose. If the outside of your grill is unpainted metal, wipe it down to restore its luster. Have a charcoal grill? Scrub each removable piece (including the grates) with a grill brush and cleaning solution before rinsing with a hose.
□ Wipe down doors, windows and windowsills. Exterior doors and windowsills are bound to have gathered dirt. Use a damp cloth to wipe around edges, then break out the squeegee or paper towels to clean the windows with window cleaner.
□ Clean pool and hot tub. If you have a pool and/or hot tub, remove leaves, pool toys and any other debris. Planning on guests taking a dip? Clean the filter and check chlorine levels.
NEXT: Start planning your next outdoors gathering with one of our summer invitations or BBQ invitations!
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