http://www.care2.com/greenliving/cleaning-outdoor-furniture-grills.html
Cleaning Outdoor Furniture and Grills
You can forget the steel brushes, rolled up sleeves, dirty clothes, elbow grease and toxic solvents you think you need to clean black mildew off outdoor furniture and old grime off cooking grills. Our great-grandmothers knew the right stuff for this sort of heavy-duty cleaning job, and it is non-toxic, easy and cheap.
The answer is washing soda!
I first learned about the wonders of washing soda when I needed to peel wax off a floor. I’d read that this mineral was the basis of old folk formulas for tough cleaning jobs, so I decided to give it a try. Wow, did it do the job! I used a thick, damp paste, let it set for 3-4 hours, and it peeled the wax right off. I’ve been sold on the product for heavy-duty cleaning jobs ever since.
Washing soda (sodium carbonate) is also known as soda ash, and it can be found in the laundry section at the supermarket. It has many uses besides being a laundry booster, and it also neutralizes and eliminates odors.
Here are some fabulous old-fashioned (and not so old-fashioned) formulas for cleaning outdoor furniture and grills.
Plastic Lawn Furniture Cleaner
1/2 cup washing soda
1 gallon hot water
Dissolve the washing soda in a bucket of hot water. Wearing gloves and using a sponge, slather the water onto the furniture, and let it set for 10 minutes or so before rinsing. For stubborn stains, redo and leave the water on the plastic for an extra 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
Mildew and Mold Cushion Cleaner
Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is a broad spectrum fungicide. It is available in health food stores.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Spot test on cushions to make sure there is no discoloration. Spray on the cushions. Don’t rinse. In a few days, both the strong smell of the tea tree oil and the mold will dissipate.
Cushion Cleaner
Assuming you can rinse your cushions, after you have killed the mold and mildew, spot clean cushions using the Plastic Lawn Furniture Cleaner, above. Rinse.
Note: Spot test the washing soda mixture on wood furniture first. It is a powerful cleanser, and you don’t want to peel off any existing wood finish.
Grill Soak
1-2 cups washing soda
Enough hot water to cover the grills
In a pan big enough to hold the grill (the kitchen sink might also work), soak the grills overnight in the washing soda and water. In the morning, the grime on the grill will come off easily. Wash with soap and water, and rinse.
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9 comments
add your comment »I was wondering will this also work in side your oven. I used easyoff and it is very harmful to my lungs, afterwords I can't breath. Any solutions, if it don't.
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I have a question. If washing soda is sodium carbonate, then washing soda must not be Borax, which I always thought was washing soda.
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@Sandy Mssmurfy: Thanks for this great tip... I was wondering where I could soak the grill rack of my oven (I don't have a BBQ, and my garden is tiny), I am glad you mentioned the plastic bag!
I have always known that washing soda was great stuff to clean and de-grease. I have used it all my life (brought up by my grandmothers).
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What a GREAT method for outdoor furniture! Living in FL I deal with a lot of mold on my furniture/cushions. I can't wait to try this.
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What a GREAT method for outdoor furniture! Living in FL I deal with a lot of mold on my furniture/cushions. I can't wait to try this.
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I just cleaned my grill with Basic H2 by Shaklee and this did an great job. It is non toxic biodegradable and not tested on animals. This stuff is great it can clean everything from Windows to degreasing engine parts (my husband is the big car buff).
To order you can go to:
http://www.shaklee.net/healthymomsclub/product/00015
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Leaving the grill racks in the grass and letting the dew do its work will loosen hard to remove deposits.
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Placing the grill racks in a large black heavy duty plastic bag will allow soaking overnight ...
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Would the grill soak work on oven racks?
Caren in CA
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