How to Clean Your Shed
Knowing how to clean your shed properly is a valuable DIY skill for homeowners to have. You want to be able to keep your shed looking presentable without spending too much time or any money.
At Glick Woodworks, we’re your shed experts when you’re designing a great new shed or keeping your current shed looking good. Check out our shed cleaning tips to keep your shed looking sharp — without the risk of damaging it.
6 Shed Cleaning Tips
We build our sheds tough to withstand the elements and to stand up to dirt. However, they will get dirty at some point — that’s just a fact of life. Whether or not you want to do something about it is 100% up to you — a dirty shed still does its job.
If you want the backyard curb appeal of a clean and stylish shed, follow these simple shed cleaning tips once or twice a year for a sparkling clean shed.
- Hose off or Power Wash the Siding — At Glick Woodworks, we build sheds with vinyl siding and painted smart side. If your shed is showing the dirt and grime that comes with spending every day outside, it’s time to give it a wash. If your shed is made with vinyl siding, you can use a power washer to blast away the caked-on dirt and grime. If you have a shed with painted smart side, you’ll want to be slightly more careful and use a garden hose. Either way, you’ll want to stand back to limit the pressure — and to make sure you don’t accidentally blast a hole in your siding.
- Scrub off Any Remaining Dirt (if Needed) — If a few pockets of dirt survived the hydro attack, you’ll want to take matters into your own hands. You can mix up a cleaning solution using ordinary dish soap and water. Soak a rag in your shed cleaning solution and scrub away the remaining grime.
- Wash the Windows by Hand — While a power washer might be your favorite cleaning hardware, you’re better off cleaning the windows by hand. In some cases, too much pressure can crack the window glass. In order to keep your windows looking clean and clear, you’ll want to wash them inside and out.
- Sweep out the Inside — Most storage shed interiors get a little dirty from time to time. Whether it’s dirt clods or grass clippings, it happens. Sweeping out the inside of your shed is a great way to clean up — and it can lessen that grassy shed smell. We’ve even seen people take a leaf blower to their shed floor to blow all the debris right back outside.
- Eliminate Mildew with Vinegar — The most common reason a shed looks dirty? That normal road grime we addressed in tip #1. Sometimes, though, mold or mildew can begin growing on your shed. While mold can absolutely destroy wood, our sheds are impervious to mold infiltration. However, it is still unpleasant and you want to get rid of it. While unloading on it with a power washer is reasonably effective, we recommend employing the acidic power of vinegar. Soak some old rags in white vinegar and scrub the mold and mildew until nothing remains.
- Deal with Tree Sap — We never recommend homeowners installing their sheds underneath trees — and this is one of the reasons why. Throughout the year trees release sticky sap which sticks and globs onto anything it touches including your shed siding. While some shed cleaning tips recommend using harsh chemicals to eliminate tree sap, that’s not our recommendation. Instead, we recommend the organic power of white vinegar to bust the sticky sap. Leaving the vinegar to soak into the sap and then scrubbing it hard can remove the substance.
New Shed from Glick Woodworks
Are you ready to put in the DIY elbow grease? These shed cleaning tips can keep your a-frame shed or mini barn looking good as new for years to come. At Glick Woodworks, we build our sheds durable to provide you decades of storage and style.
If your shed can’t come clean or has seen better days, we can help you find the brand-new shed that meets your style and your budget. Whether you want to explore your options or you’re ready for a quote, start the conversation today.
