That quiet time you spend on your balcony, perhaps with a book and a beverage in hand, just taking a load off while you breathe in fresh air, is often the few moments of bliss that you experience all week! There really is something calming and peaceful about getting cozy and comfortable on the balcony which is why it is a cherished space for many homeowners.
Sadly, a busy schedule can mean not spending any time out on the balcony for days or weeks on end, thus leaving it to accumulate dust, cobwebs, and all kinds of outdoor debris. What’s worse is that, when you do have some time to sit out on your balcony, it’s way too messy and dirty to want to even stand there for too long!
So, if you want to reclaim your balcony and enjoy those blissful moments of peace and relaxation again, it’s time to get it cleaned up! For anyone that is unsure of how to clean a Toronto balcony, or where to start, the tips we are sharing with you today will guide you to squeaky clean results! Read on.
#1 Dust Mobile Items
To clean your balcony thoroughly, clearing the space helps a great deal. This means moving plant pots, furniture, decorative items, and anything that is mobile, indoors. But first, you will need to lay down a sheet of plastic inside the house where you can place these items. This is to ensure that no dirt or soil gets transferred to your flooring. More importantly, you want to clean off each item by dusting it thoroughly, followed by a wipe down with a damp cloth, before you bring it in.
NOTE: If you are dealing with bird poop on any surface including furniture, the railings, and floor, refer to the cleaning instructions under “How to Clean Bird Poop on a Balcony” mentioned later in this article.
#2 Clean from Top to Bottom
Start with removing cobwebs from higher up surfaces and corners. If you have outdoor light fixtures on your balcony, dust them off and check around the shade or spaces where dead insects can collect. Use a dry dust cloth to clean the bulb and a damp one to clean the rest of the lamp.
As you work your way down, wipe the railing (or the structure that encloses the balcony), ensuring that all the dust and dirt is knocked off or picked up effectively. By the end of it, you should be left with just a dirty balcony floor with all other surfaces cleaned up.
#3 Sweep and Vacuum the Floor
While most people choose between vacuuming and sweeping floors, for a balcony, we advise doing both. This is because there is a lot of fine debris or dust particles that settle on outdoor surfaces and, over time, the accumulation becomes harder to remove with just sweeping or vacuuming.
So, when cleaning your Toronto balcony flooring, begin by vacuuming the entire surface, and then sweeping it thoroughly. In doing so, you will be picking up any leftover debris that the vacuum cleaner may have missed.
#4 Mop the Floor
Depending on the type of material the balcony floor is made of, you can either use a mild floor cleaning product, or (if safe to use on the material) diluted bleach to mop the floor. The latter is definitely more effective in removing tough stains, however, if bleach is not suitable for the floor type, a regular flooring cleaning solution can also get the job done with a bit of elbow grease.
If needed, spot treat stubborn grime using a runny paste consisting of baking soda and distilled white vinegar. Apply the mixture to the stained area using a microfiber cloth or non-abrasive scrubber; leave it to sit for 5 – 10 minutes. Thereafter, scrub the area with a damp cleaning tool and rinse off.
When the floor is dry, bring back all the furniture, plant pots, and decorative items, and set up the balcony once more.
How to Clean Bird Poop on a Balcony
As much as you might love to see birds perched on your balcony, the droppings they leave behind make a real mess! Even worse, if not cleaned up quickly, dried poop on balconies can be quite tedious to remove.
Nevertheless, with the tips below, you can clean up dried bird feces and stains from any balcony surface or outdoor furniture.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Use a putty knife, plastic spoon, or a blunt object to scrape off the dried poop. Sweep or vacuum up the debris.
- In a 1-liter spray bottle, add 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, and top it up with hot water. Close the bottle and give it a good shake.
- Spray the affected area enough to dampen or soak it (stick to the former if the surface is not water resistant). Alternatively, you can dampen a clean cloth and wipe over the area to avoid saturating the surface.
- When suitable to spray the surface directly, follow up this step with a good scrub down using a cleaning brush with soft or medium bristles.
- When the remaining stuck-on debris and stains have been scrubbed off, wipe over the surface with a clean damp cloth.
With that, we come to the end of our top tips for cleaning a Toronto balcony! As you now know, by putting in a little time and effort, you can turn a filthy and nightmarish balcony into one that is spotless, and ready to offer you those priceless, blissful, cozy moments of peace and joy again! It’s also important to remember that, unlike taking measures to reduce dust in your apartment, there isn’t much you can do for an outdoor space like your balcony. Therefore, regular cleaning – dusting surfaces, and sweeping and mopping the floor – is recommended if you want to maintain a clean balcony.
