As we enjoy the days and nights of Spring, at some point we know we need to turn our attention to cleaning out the garage and our outdoor decks. At Anago, we know cleaning can be a daunting task – though we do it proudly every day – so we’ve included some tips for you to make the chore a little less cumbersome.

The Garage:

You won’t want to hear this, but the first thing you want to do is clear the space. You might as well clear out the entire garage, so you don’t have to do this process twice (I know some of you are thinking of just backing the cars out to clean but trust us when we say it’s best practice to have a clean space). Let’s keep it green folks. Separate your aluminum cans, cardboard boxes and plastics and dispose of them properly. Take the time to find your municipal recycling center and dispose of all recyclable and hazardous waste appropriately.

Besides dusting for spider webs and cleaning out dust and dirt, the biggest part of this project will be removing oil stains from the garage floor (probably concrete). Here are steps for cleaning the oil stain and getting that garage looking like one of the many auto dealerships we clean daily:

• First: Wet the pavement and brush the area with baking soda.
• Second: Rinse it off with water and allow to air dry.
• Lastly: If the stain is stubborn, apply a concentrated laundry detergent. Leave it on for a few minutes, scrub and rinse well.

After all is said and done, sweep then mop the floors with an environmentally friendly solution (vacuum if needed) and start putting everything back. Time to move onto the outdoor deck.

The Deck

The best way to clean a deck (assuming it is made of wood) is to sweep away dirt and debris on a weekly basis (This will make your yearly cleaning much easier and will help maintain the wood for much longer. Again, you will have to remove all furniture, BBQ grills, potted plants, etc. from the area. Next, follow these steps:

• Clean the exterior area of the house where the deck meets the wall
• Spread an environmentally safe cleaner (in small sections) and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes
• Use a brush to scour visible stains
• Rinse thoroughly and let the area dry.

It is best practice to wait several hours – even a day – before putting anything back in its place.