Thoroughly cleaning any part of your property is no small feat. In order to get a quality result, you’ll usually have to employ several techniques to reach every nook and cranny. The more enclosed the space is, the more challenging it will be to ultimately tidy up.
This notion is especially true for those who have a balcony in their apartment. Balconies are notoriously difficult to clean up, since they are susceptible to the outside elements. Although it may take some work, there are ways to clean the balcony in your apartment easily and quickly.
If you are trying to get a head start on tidying up, employ these eight techniques on how to clean the balcony in an apartment:
1. Remove all items from the balcony
When you clean the balcony in an apartment, it’s important to remove all the items first. Many individuals like to decorate their balconies with a myriad of accessories. This helps to exemplify their overall apartment, giving it a much needed personality boost. On the other hand, this also makes cleaning a bit more tricky to conduct.
Before you attempt any sort of housework here, take the time to move all physical materials lying around. Furniture should be moved out of the way, and placed inside your apartment. Plants should be taken down, and placed out of the general vicinity. That way, you’ll be able to clean much more efficiently.
2. Wipe down the items before cleaning
Those same pieces of furniture and plant pots? You’ll need to wipe them down before moving them at all. Grime, and other traces of dirt, are more likely to be attracted to these items. You don’t want to have to move these around, only to have the dust blow all over your face. To prevent this from happening, wipe them down.
You can use some microfibre towels, or wet paper towels, depending on the extent of dirt present. Be sure to keep a couple of buckets of water on hand first. One will be for soaking one towel, while the other will be used to squeeze out the lingering traces of dirt.
3. Clean the balcony floors
The extent of dust or dirt on your balcony floor will only magnify, the more you shift things around. As a result, you’ll need to pay special attention to this part of the balcony. After you have moved all pieces of furniture around, you’ll want to grab a broom. Sweeping is generally the first trick used in the cleaning procedure.
You may be wondering what may be the best spot for cleaning. Always use the top down approach when picking a starting point. Start from the top part of your balcony, and sweep all dust particles downwards. Having a garbage can nearby will make this easier, as you can dump all residue into it.
4. Scrub the balcony floors.
The floor of your balcony is likely to become dirty quite easily. That is why it is recommended to always clean this area on a consistent basis. If you live in a humid area, this will only amplify the amount of potential grime to be accumulated. One item that makes this especially easier is a wet/dry vacuum.
This tool can be very useful for cleaning those hard-to-reach spots on your balcony’s floor. If you find that some dirt has solidified, manually scrubbing this out first before cleaning will help. The more attention you pay to your balcony’s floor, the better its overall condition will be. Once you are done, your condo balcony flooring will look spotlessly clean.
5. Power wash the balcony.
Once everything has been sorted out, a power wash will need to be utilized. In order to do one, get yourself a hose that also has a spray capability. Use your hose to give all parts of the balcony a thorough cleaning. Make sure to get all visible corners, in addition to the ceiling and floor.
If your balcony is not enclosed, you’ll have to be wary about water dripping onto the balconies below. Place some towels over the rails, so that they soak up any external splashes. Let all surfaces dry accordingly, before moving on to the next step.
6. Clean the balcony windows.
A balcony window, like its floor counterpart, is likely to become pretty dirt relatively fast. You’ll have to employ some manual labour here, and scrub all windows with a sponge. Scrub, if necessary, in order to eliminate all traces of visible dirt. If you need to, use your hose to spray the window glass first.
7. Let the balcony dry.
Before moving your furniture or plants back in, it is best to let your entire balcony dry. All the effects of your cleaning should first take hold, before deciding to relocate your items. That way, you are set for reorganization.
8. Consider less items.
You will inevitably have to clean your apartment’s balcony again, at some point in the future. To make this job easier, consider placing less items on the surface. The less clutter you have, the more friendly tidying up will be!
Don’t let the laborious nature of balcony cleaning discourage you. Although it is a longwinded process, it is one that has to be done every so often. Nothing beats hanging out on a thoroughly clean balcony, after all!