Transform Your Cleaning Routine with This Simple Salt and Soap Trick

EchoMoraine Updated: 2025-06-15

6. Outdoor Maintenance: Garden Furniture, Decks, Patios

The adaptability of the salt and soap cleaning method goes beyond the walls of your house. Particularly for patios, decks, and garden furniture, it's a great answer for handling outdoor cleaning chores. This cleaning approach's natural, non-toxic character makes it the best option for places where dogs and plants might come into touch with cleaned surfaces.
The salt and soap mixture can assist to eliminate general filth, mildew, and algae that builds up over time from hardwood decks and patios. Making a somewhat more diluted paste, apply it with a stiff-bristled brush going in the direction of the wood grain. While the soap breaks down any oily leftovers, the abrasive nature of the salt helps grime from the wood's pores lift. To prevent damage to the wood, rinse completely with a hose or power washer on a low level following scrubbing.
Full-strength salt and soap paste will help concrete patios and sidewalks. Salt's abrasive quality is especially helpful for ground-in debris from these porous surfaces and tough stains. Apply the paste; let it stay for a few minutes; then, before rinsing, scrub with a hard brush. To simplify larger areas, think about utilising a push broom.
This approach cleans garden furniture made of plastic, metal, or wood as well. For plastic furniture, the salt helps to eliminate weather- and sun-induced discolouration. While wooden furniture may be simply cleaned and renewed, metal furniture gains from the rust-inhibiting qualities of salt. To avoid water damage, always rinse thoroughly following cleaning and let wooden furniture completely dry.
Remember also outdoor barbecues and BBQs. Helping to cut through oil and food residue, the salt and soap combo can be a great cleaning for grill grates and exteriors. On the inside of gas grills, where it can interfere with the burners, steer clear of using it, though.
Including this salt and soap method into your outdoor cleaning schedule will help you to keep a fresh and appealing outdoor living environment without using strong chemicals that can damage your garden or nearby ecology.