Outdoor Spring Cleaning

Outdoor spring cleaning to give your outdoor space a fresh look for spring

Spring cleaning has become a ritual in homes across America. But as families focus on decluttering closets and revitalizing their indoor spaces, many overlook simple, inexpensive outdoor projects that can give a home a real "facelift" and make it look and feel like new.

"Some homeowners shy away from outdoor projects because they think they're difficult, time-consuming or expensive. Nothing could be further from the truth," says Rust-Oleum home improvement expert and PaintIdeas.com blogger, Angie. "There are some easy, inexpensive projects that can enhance a family's enjoyment of their outdoor space and significantly improve their home's curb appeal so it makes a welcoming first impression for neighbors and friends."

* Clean the exterior. It may seem basic, but it's amazing how much better, and how much newer a home can look after a good cleaning. And with the availability of cleaners that can be applied with pump sprayers and hose mount applicators, it's never been easier to give a house a "facelift" without power washing or costly repainting.

If your house is wearing a coat of mold, mildew, dirt and grime, try a cleaner like Jomax House Cleaner and Mildew Killer. It removes the most stubborn stains without scrubbing and is safe to use near plants, grass and shrubs.

* Refresh the driveway. Sealing an asphalt driveway was once considered a messy, smelly and time consuming project, but that's changed. Thanks to the evolution of new water-based technologies, restoring a driveway to its "like new" appearance is easy for even inexperienced do-it-yourselfers. Epoxyshield Blacktop Coating, with its advanced acrylic formula, brings asphalt back to its original jet black color and makes it look brand new again.

* Spruce up your deck. During the warm spring and summer months, many families spend more time on their deck than in the living room. But both wood and composite decks need to be cleaned regularly to prevent deterioration and look their best. Biodegradable deck cleaners like Wolman DeckBrite excel at removing ground-in dirt and mildew stains without whitening or damaging the surface like chlorine bleach can - and they're easy to use.

* "Upcycle" your outdoor furniture. Has your outdoor furniture seen better days? Don't replace it, "upcycle." You'd be surprised how easy and inexpensive it is to refurbish patio furniture with just a few cans of spray paint. Today's spray paints come in a full palette of colors - and exciting new textures and finishes - so you can personalize your outdoor space while saving your old furniture from the landfill. Try Rust-Oleum Universal spray paint in Hammered Copper to give your patio furniture urban style while hiding dents and scratches. Or, "dress" it in a classic color like Painter's Touch Ultra Cover 2X Espresso. One can of 2X delivers twice the coverage so the paint goes further and projects get done faster.

For more project ideas and product information, visit www.rustoleum.com. Or, get inspired by Angie's newest spring projects at www.paintideas.com.

Outdoor spring cleaning to give your outdoor space a fresh look for spring

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Outdoor Spring Cleaning