Springtime Home Maintenance Checklist

Ricky D'Alesio

Senior Designer

Spruce Up Your Exterior for Spring. Here’s our guide to show you how.

With the weather warming up, now is the perfect time to tackle those cleaning and maintenance chores outside your home you’ve put off over winter.

Follow our foolproof guide to getting the exterior of your home in tip-top shape for spring.

Revive decking

• Sweep off dust, cobwebs and leaves.
• Scrub the decking surface with a hard-bristled brush and a mild detergent solution to remove embedded dirt and grime. If your deck is made from hardwood such as merbau or blackbutt, it’s safe to use a high-pressure cleaner.
• Rinse well.
• Once dry, apply a couple of coats of your preferred timber coating to protect the surface. If your deck is peeling or mouldy, you may need to sand it down first.

Rejuvenate timber furniture

• Remove any cobwebs and give each piece a thorough wipe down.
• Apply garden furniture cleaner with a stiff-bristled brush and leave for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Rinse off and let furniture dry.
• Apply two to three coats of your chosen timber coating, leaving two hours between coats.
• If furniture is rough or flaking, you may need to sand it back before coating.

Clean the barbecue

• Turn off and disconnect gas.
• Wearing rubber gloves, remove the barbecue tray and wash it in hot, soapy water.
• Using a barbecue brush, scrape both sides of the grills (if you have enamel grills use a safe-scrub brush that won’t scratch).
• Clean the barbecue body with hot water, soap and a non-scratch scouring pad.
• Wipe grill trays dry and spray both sides with a protective coating of canola oil before returning them to the barbecue.
• Add some new fat absorber to the drip tray to minimise odours and flare-ups.

Get your windows sparkling

• From inside, vacuum window tracks and sills to remove dust and cobwebs.
• Make a non-toxic, glass-cleaning solution by mixing 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water in a spray bottle. Spray your window, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe down with a microfibre cloth or squeegee.
• For a fast and efficient way to clean windows, invest in a battery-powered window vacuum, such as Karcher WV 5 Premium Window Vac (top tip: you can also use it to clean mirrors, tiles and shower screens).
• From outside, use a broom wrapped with a rag to remove dust and cobwebs from glass.
• Clean windows using the same vinegar solution as inside; dry off with a microfibre cloth, squeegee or battery-powered window vacuum.
• If windows are hard or dangerous to reach from the outside, it’s wise to hire professionals for this task.

Clean & tidy pavers

• Pull up any weeds growing between pavers.
• Hose pavers down to loosen stubborn dirt and grime.
• Using a stiff broom or brush, apply a 10:1 solution of water to liquid pool chlorine and scrub them down.
• Leave for 20 minutes, then hose off.

Apply weed killer between pavers to prevent regrowth.

Clear gutters

• Spread a tarp underneath your workspace to collect leaves.
• Using a sturdy ladder and heavy gloves, remove loose leaves from the gutter with a scoop or trowel and toss them onto the tarp.
• Use a hose to flush out fine debris from gutters.
• If it’s hard to reach your gutters or you can’t safely climb the ladder, leave this job to the pros.

Get your garden spring-ready

• Rake up leaves and debris.
• Clean slippery garden paths with a stiff broom and a hose.
• Feed your plants and lawn with fertiliser.
• Top up mulch.
• Prepare for new plantings by clearing dead plants and weeds.
• Mow the lawn and prune unruly shrubs and hedges.

Plant new shrubs and trees now so they can establish themselves before it gets too hot.