As with anything else, if you want to keep your conservatory looking its best for as long as possible, it’s important to pay it some fairly regular attention. That means not being averse to rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in with cleaning – inside and out.
On the plus side, it’s not rocket science and certainly doesn’t have to be a desperately lengthy or difficult business, once you understand what needs to be done.
It’s all about having a few simple pieces of equipment, the right attitude and employing a little good old-fashioned elbow grease!
It makes sense to set aside a free weekend to tackle this task, but you can factor in lots of breaks and be done by late afternoon on both evenings. Then you can sit back and enjoy your handiwork!
Don’t try and rush things. And have a few basic common sense safety procedures in place, such as always having someone else around for ladder work, not leaving any chemical-based products lying around and avoiding abrasive cleaning products on uPVC frames since there’s a serious risk of damaging them. If in any doubt at all, steer clear.
Clean on the inside
Ideally, internal cleaning of your conservatory should take place at least twice year. That’s because mildew and mould are an awful lot more straightforward to deal with if they’re tackled before they’ve been able to take hold.
This is an issue which is especially common if your extension is badly ventilated, so open windows and so on when you can.
Keep life easy – use the same cleaning solution on the inside and outside of your conservatory. A mild detergent usually does the job best. Where dust is very light, a barely damp cloth works wonders.
A broom and mop or damp cloth should also be fine for the floor, take care if it’s wood and use a fluid especially designed for wooden flooring.
Creaking doors? Use WD40 on mental hinges to help oil them, but not on sliding doors or rubber seals. (If these are creaking, it’s worth checking your door runners and seeing if anything is getting in the way.)
Windows can be cleaned as they would elsewhere in your home. Vinegar and old newspapers do a great job.
Dust, vacuum and clean furniture frequently – and turn over cushions at regular intervals to help slow down fading from direct sunlight.
Clearing your conservatory could be one good idea before tackling a deep clean, since you’ll reach more of it more easily given the relatively confined space.
Finally, of course, plumped up cushions will look better for longer, too.