Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of the summer season. That means it's time to dust off the grill, blow up the pool toys and stock up on sunblock. The holiday weekend also means getting your home dressed to impress for a sensational summer season ahead. Here are some ways to transition from spring to summer with these summer cleaning tips, perfect for Memorial Day weekend.

Get Garden Ready

The summer season means it's time to head into the great outdoors and spruce up that backyard garden. All of your trusty gardening tools may have developed some rust when they were in storage over the winter months, so take the time to clean them before getting back into the garden. One of our favorite natural cleaners to use is vinegar. It’s one of the best natural cleaners around and besides cleaning your floors, it will also attack rust. To remove rust from your garden tools, follow these simple steps:

• STEP #1: Soak small garden tools in a bowl of vinegar overnight.
• STEP #2: In the morning, remove garden tools from the vinegar solution and scrub garden tools.
• STEP #3: Rinse garden tools with clean water and dry with a cloth. For garden tools that are too large to soak, soak a small towel in vinegar and wrap around the rusted area.
• STEP #4: Let towel sit overnight and then scrub in the morning.
• STEP #5: This may take some time, but it works!

Keeping your garden tools free from rust will help lengthen their life and will keep them looking their best so you can keep your garden looking its best!

 

Pick Up the Patio

Summertime is peak patio season, but patios can take a beating over the years. Use Memorial Day weekend to pick up the patio and get it ready for the summer months.

• Move plants, patio furniture, grills and other accessories off the patio.
• Remove any weeds that have grown along the edges of the patio or between any cracks in the bricks or cement.
• Grab an outdoor broom and start sweeping.
• Mix equal parts vinegar and water to clean patio stains remaining from last season.
• For tougher stains, mix one gallon of water with ½ cup of baking soda for a gentle cleaning solution.
• For heavily stained patios, visit your local hardware store and rent a power washer.

Get Your Grill On

Memorial Day weekend means backyard barbecues are back. Yum! Warm weather means plenty of delicious cookouts, but in order to have the best backyard BBQs this summer, you need a clean grill. Here’s how you can best clean your grill:

• Clean the inside of the grill lid often to remove smoke and grease. Warm soapy water works best.
• Scrape grill grates before cooking to remove loose debris leftover from your last culinary creation.
• If using a charcoal grill, clear it of all charcoal and ash then use a Heavy Duty Scrunge with warm soapy water to clean.

No matter how you decide to kickoff the summer season, stay safe, have fun and remember the real reason for celebrating Memorial Day.