Spring has finally arrived and for many of us this means it’s time to catch up on those little maintenance jobs that we often put off during the colder months. With this month being DIY month on the blog, we will be looking at a few home maintenance jobs you can do yourself. One of the simplest and most effective, especially for an older Queenslander, house washing. Now full disclaimer here, I have help when it comes to washing our house, my good friend Genevieve comes once a year on a Saturday to wash our house. She has encouraged me though, to share her tips.
5 Tips for a Perfect Finish When House Washing
Don’t Use A Pressure Washer
This is a mistake we made for years on our new Queenslander. We thought that because we were washing a new home, the paint on the weatherboards would not lift or bubble, wrong! Put the pressure washer away, and simply use a gentle setting on the hose. This is even more important for an older home or a home with older paint.
Choose Your Tools Carefully
Genevieve recommends only ever using a broom and or a banister brush to scrub the outside of your home. Take an old broom and tie a nappy or a piece of old towel over the end and the ‘scrub’ the dirty areas of your home with this. It will prevent scratching and any digging into the paint work. The brushes are also soft enough to use on windows and in window tracks.
Use A Grime Fighting Combination
Genevieve always uses 2 capfuls of bleach, with two capfuls of sugar soap in a 9lt bucket of warm water, for the best results. She guarantees this will cut down on the amount of scrubbing required to lift the stain and road dirt that sticks to our homes. Washing your house is not the greatest job, if this grease fighting recipe helps with cutting down the work, then it gets my vote.
Pay Attention To Detail
On a house like ours there are many nooks and crannies that the dirt can stick in. Take the time to ensure you pay attention to these little places, they can make a big difference to the finish product. Also Gena reminds us not to forget your eaves. Nothing looks worse than a beautiful clean house with dirty eaves.
Clean The Windows As You Go
Genevieve is all about quality and says that nothing ruins a good house washing job than forgetting to clean the windows as you go. Because they have already been washed, give them a light spray with a window and glass cleaner and wipe them over with paper towel for the cleanest windows around.
Washing your home is not a quick job, but it can be easily done in a day. Following the tips Gena has shared will ensure a easy thorough job.
Do you give your home a good ‘spring clean’ each year? Have you tried washing your home? What is your favourite spring flower?
Nicole xxx
