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Loading...Cleaning Outdoor Furniture and Grills
- Annie B. Bond
- May 26, 2008
- 11:00 am
- 16 comments
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.
Read more: Home, Non-Toxic Cleaning
Annie B. Bond
Annie is a renowned expert in non-toxic and green living. Named one of the top 20 environmental leaders by Body and Soul Magazine, Annie has authored four books, including "Home Enlightenment" (Rodale Press, 2005) and "Better Basics for the Home" (Three Rivers Press, 1999).
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
people are talking
thanks
We must be careful about claims like this
You guys done did it again, turned the cute up to 11
Thank you so much Katie, this is another must try. Very unusual combo.
One side effect is a lot of action in the old folks home!
16 comments
+ add your ownIntresting post.
Thank you for this very helpful tip. Easy to use , non-toxic and inexpensive. Oh yes, grandmothers knew the tricks of cleaning sans all chemicals and other toxins.
Thank you
@susan W. Washing Soda is not Borax. To make Washing Soda take Baking Soda and bae it at 400degrees stirring occasionally until it is light & ashey looking. The Texture will change. It took about 2 hours for mine I made about 4 cups full to use with Borax and Soap(Fels NAptha & Ivory ) to make Laundry detergent.
I am excited to heart that it is easy to use for other cleaning uses that had notoccured to me.
I will attack the Grill this week :-)
Helpful tips to keep in mind.
I bought some cleaning products from a couple of furniture stores and it was really hard to clean the grill, the stains still remained, after that I did some research on the net and I saw your article, that really helped, thanks a lot.
I didn't know that washing soda can clean plastic lawn furniture. My sister has plastic lawn furniture. I'm going to share this tip to her so that she won't have a hard time cleaning her plastic lawn furniture. Thank you for the tip.
Outdoor Patio Furniture
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.
I have a question. If washing soda is sodium carbonate, then washing soda must not be Borax, which I always thought was washing soda.
@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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