Deep Cleaning For Spring – My Outdoor Checklist

The warmer weather is here and it’s time to get your outdoor space ready. Here’s my guide to deep clean everything after a long winter.

Spring is officially here, and it’s the best time to refresh your outdoor living space for the warmer months ahead. After winter, our patio, outdoor kitchen, and seating areas need some serious TLC to shake off the remnants of winter and get ready for evening gatherings, backyard barbecues, and spending time outdoors as a family!

Spring Outdoor Cleaning Checklist

I already walked you through my indoor spring cleaning checklist, but now it’s time to take the spring refresh outside! This year, I had even more work to do since it’s our first spring with the new outdoor kitchen—which meant figuring out how to turn off the fridges for winter and get them running again.

And let me just say, my pressure washer was an MVP for patio prep! I had never used it on an outdoor rug before, and I was shocked at how much better ours looks now. If you’re tackling patio furniture, outdoor cushions, or hard surfaces, this is the best way to clean them quickly and effectively.

Ready to get started? Here’s my step-by-step outdoor spring cleaning checklist to get your patio, porch, and outdoor environment looking fresh for the upcoming season.

Deep Clean Your Outdoor Space for Spring

The first step to refreshing your outdoor area is removing all the dirt, dust, and snow salt from the winter months. Here’s how I tackle it:

• Pressure wash everything: This is the best way to clean patio furniture, outdoor rugs, cushions, throw pillows, and hard surfaces. The spray instantly removes dirt and gives your space a fresh look for the warmer months. I walk you through my steps to use a pressure washer with ease in this blog post.
• Wipe down outdoor furniture and surfaces: Anything that didn’t a good clean from the pressure washer gets some love with hot soapy water and a rag. The countertops on our outdoor kitchen were filthy and it felt good to get grime and grease off of there.
• Clean the kids’ playhouse: Last summer, I added the cutest playhouse to our backyard. We left it out all winter long and it needed a good scrub to bring it back to life.
• Clean outdoor grill: In this blog post, I walk you through every step to give your gas grill a deep clean.

• Sweep or leaf blow patios, porches, and walkways: I use my leaf blower to clear dead leaves, dirt, and winter debris from all our seating areas.
• Clean outdoor lighting: Whether you use string lights, solar lights, or lanterns, now is the perfect time to replace burned-out bulbs and check for damage.
• Refresh your fire pit or outdoor fireplace: If you have one (Lucky you!), clear out ash and debris so it’s ready for evening gatherings in the great outdoors.
• Check and clean patio covers and umbrellas: Give your umbrella a good wipe-down so it’s ready to provide shade in the warmer weather.
• Wash your indoor & outdoor trash bins: If you haven’t done this yet, now is the time before it gets hot and smelly outside.
• Wash your windows inside & out: This is a big job, but it’s so worth it when the sunshine is streaming inside your home. In this blog post, I share my favorite supplies to tackle washing your windows.

• Hook up the garden hose: After months of disconnection, reconnect your garden hose for early spring watering and to help with all of the cleaning. You can follow the steps from this blog post but in reverse.

Bring Outdoor Essentials Back to Life

Once everything is clean and dry, it’s time to set up your space for the warmer days ahead.

• Turn on outdoor fridges: After winter hibernation, I wipe ours down, turn them back on, and load them up for spring entertaining.
• Replace lantern candles & check lighting: A quick swap of candles or batteries makes a big impact on the ambiance of your outdoor space. I put up our hanging lanterns on our pergola and charged all of the lights so we’re ready for the season!

• Prep the teak dining table: I apply wood conditioner to keep ours in good condition for the upcoming season. This blog post walks you through all of the steps to take care of your teak furniture. If your teak is looking rough, this post walks you through my best teak cleaning tips.
• Plan for new plants (but wait to plant!): Our holiday window box was up for an embarrassingly long amount of time (I’m talking mid-March) and it’s been empty ever since. It’s so tempting to add fresh flowers and new plants right away, but I hold off until Mother’s Day to avoid Chicago’s unpredictable weather.
• Organize outdoor toys and gear: Now is a great time to clean and sort through bubbles, chalk, and summer toys before the summer season. We also see which outdoor toys the kids have outgrown so they take up less space in our garage.
• Consider a big purge: A few years back, we got rid of tons of stuff and called 1800-Got-Junk to haul it all away. It was a gamechanger for our garage and storage room.

Decorating Tips To Make Your Outdoor Space Inviting

With everything clean and set up, now comes the fun part—adding decor and creating a cozy seating area to enjoy the warmth of spring.

• Replace or refresh outdoor rugs: A new outdoor rug is a great way to add a pop of color and pull your space together. The one I purchased last spring still has some life in her, so I pressure washed it and got it all set up again.
• Set up a cozy seating area: I love it when we can finally get all of our seating and cushions out again. It means that we finally get to be outside again!

• Add decorative elements: Consider fresh outdoor throw pillows, string lights, or lanterns to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your outdoor patio.
• Prep garden and flower beds: Even though I wait to plant new flowers, I clear out old leaves and weeds now for healthy growth later.

Spring is Here—Let’s Enjoy It!

By tackling these simple steps, your outdoor space will be ready in no time. Whether you’re planning evening gatherings by the fire pit, enjoying a good book on your patio, or sipping your favorite beverage in the great outdoors, you’ll have the ultimate luxury of a clean, inviting space to enjoy all season long.

Still have lawn care on your list? I hire ours out, but if you DIY, check out my spring lawn care guide for the best way to get your grass ready for the growing season.

And if you missed my indoor spring cleaning checklist, you can find it here!