#How To
Give Your Home A Facelift
As Australian’s start to spend more and more time at home, it’s important to make sure that it’s an enjoyable place to be. And with more time up their sleeves than ever before, it’s the perfect time for an outdoor makeover, particularly one that doesn’t break the bank. If you reside on the eastern seaboard, it’s likely that just about everything is covered in dust and dirt thanks to the sporadic weather patterns we’ve experienced over the last few months.
clear the debris
But before you tackle the dirt and dust, get rid of all the loose debris from your deck, driveway, pathways or veranda using a blower. The STIHL range boasts a number of blower options for outdoor areas of all sizes, so be sure you speak to your local STIHL Dealer to find one that is right for you.
A quick and easy way to get rid of organic litter and debris is to blow them on to your lawn, and collect them up with a quick lap of the lawn mower later on, but before you do, make sure you’ve handpicked any rocks or larger pieces of materials to avoid damaging your mower blades. If you have a large amount of build-up, pop it through a shredder and add it to the compost bin, or if you want to eliminate a step all together, a STIHL vacuum shredder will collect and mulch your leaves in no time. If you’re looking for another project to kill time over the next few weeks, check out our guide on how to create the perfect compost in five simple steps.
add a little pressure
Once you’ve dealt with the loose debris, it’s time to get rid of all the dust and dirt that’s covering the exterior of your home and just about every surface in your backyard, including your car. With a high-pressure cleaner, remove mud, dirt, cobwebs and stains from your hard surfaces. Focus on high traffic areas and near your pots plants, as well as areas under trees that cause a lot of mess. Keep an eye out for oil stains, eucalyptus leaves will often leave marks on driveways and decks, especially on lighter coloured pavers and cement. Regular cleaning with a high-pressure cleaner will prevent these stains becoming permanent, so many sure you do this every few months.
While you’re at it, natural stone such as bluestone and sandstone will also benefit from a clean once a year, and by doing this, you will expose the unique original markings of the stone making it look brand new. Clean away the dirt and mud build-up to reveal the shades of yellow, white and orange of the sandstone, along with the darker tones in the bluestone. You can also use the high-pressure cleaner on slate or stack-stone. Ensure you wear eye and ear protection while doing this – gumboots are also very handy!
Painted and rendered brick walls may attract algae and moss through the coolers months, or general markings from wear and tear. Give them a clean and have them looking slick before the cooler weather arrives to lift the look of your outdoor space and bring back the solid colour blocking that they were designed to provide. A freshly cleaned rendered wall contrasts beautifully to a healthy green lawn or garden bed.
protect for the future
Autumn weather also provides an opportunity to clean and oil you deck. This is something that should be done annually to protect it from all of the different weather conditions experienced throughout the year. The STIHL patio and deck cleaning attachments are compatible with all high-pressure cleaners in the range, and are great for this kind of heavy duty cleaning to prepare your deck beforehand. Give your pots and water features a clean while you are at it. A freshly cleaned and oiled deck is an easy, yet effective way to transform an outdoor space.
Click here for more garden projects to keep you busy and active at home.
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