The outdoor area is also an important part of our property, and we should take the proper care of it, if we want for our home to look well maintained and clean. But many people have issues with cleaning the outdoor area, and especially the tiles, which are a very common part of the outdoor design around our homes. The outdoor tiles gather all kinds of dirt, mud and grim, and while we walk over them, we just help it stick to the surface for good. And when it’s time to clean them, many people give up before actually achieving any results, because it turns out to be hard and time consuming. But this is simply because you’ll need to be prepared for it with the proper cleaning detergents and tools. Here is everything you’ll need to know in order to clean those outdoor tiles without any complications.
What you’ll need.
A broom
A garden hose
A strong cleaning detergent, containing trisodium phosphate
A bucket
A long handled scrub brush
A long handled squeegee
Instructions.
1. First you’ll need to sweep the entire area with the broom. And make sure you sweep everything well, because otherwise you will only smear dirt on the tile surface. The goal is to remove all the standing dirt from the area, so the rest of the cleaning can be a lot easier. Some tiles are quite difficult to be swept, because of the wide grout areas. In these cases you should just apply more pressure and pay more attention. If the outdoor tiles in question are located vertically, than you’ll have to wipe the area with the broom in a downward motion.
2. After all the loose dirt is gone from the tiles, it’s time to get the garden hose and wash the entire area thoroughly, using only clear water. If there are any heavily stained or soiled areas, you should keep the hose there for longer and soak them. This way the compacted dirt will be loosened and it will be a lot easier to remove it later. Most tile and grout cleaning professionals even use special pressure cleaning machines to remove all the excess dirt, so if you have one in your home, you can use it.
3. Get the bucket, fill it with water, and add one tablespoon of the trisodium phosphate based cleaner. Make sure the two substances are completely mixed before you start brushing your tiles. If there are heavily stained areas in your outdoor tiles, you should pre-treat them by sprinkling some of the solution over them and wait for it to soak for a while.
4. Once you’ve prepared everything, you’ll have to dip the long handled scrub brush into the solution and start scrubbing the area section by section. It’s important to consider the space and divide it into sections, because this way you’ll be able to organise your work faster and it will take you less time. You’ll also have to make sure the floor doesn’t dry out before you’re done, because the trisodium phosphate in the cleaner leaves a white dust once it dries. And I’m certain that cleaning white dust from your outdoor tiles is not a fun activity. This is why observe the entire area while you clean, and if you notice that parts are beginning to dry, just pour some water or cleaning solution on them.
5. Once you’re done scrubbing the outdoor tiles and all the dirt has come off the surface safely, you should get the garden hose once again and flush the entire place to remove the cleaning solution from them. Then pick up the long handled squeegee and remove all the excess water from the tile surface. If you don’t do it, the water on the tiles will catch dust particles from the air, and you’ll end up with what you started.
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