IF you want to ensure that your garden looks summer-ready, then you’ve come to the right place.
Particularly if you’re planning on inviting guests round to enjoy the sunshine, and want to make sure that your garden fences look sparkling clean, you’ll need to take notes.
There’s nothing more annoying than noticing nasty, green algae, moss and mould growing on your fences.
And if you don’t fancy spending ages scrubbing, and are on a budget and can’t afford to splash the cash on pricey cleaning supplies, then this is just the trick for you.
Posting on social media, a woman named Gill asked cleaning fans for advice on the best way to get rid of algae.
Cleaning fans on the Mrs Hitch Cleaning Tips Facebook page flooded to the comments to share their tips and tricks – and many all suggested the same method – white vinegar.
Not only did Facebook users praised the clear product for banishing green stains, but one user claimed that it worked to get rid of marks in just 30 minutes – yes, you heard that correctly.
One user suggested: “Use a white vinegar spray. It took ours off in no time.”
Another person added: “Vinegar in a spray bottle, spray it on, leave and it will get rid of the green stains in a few days.
“I’ve done all my decking and fences last week, starting to see a difference already.”
Someone else advised: “White vinegar mixed with hot water and work it in with a brush and leave for 30 mins or more, then hose down.
“Repaint when dry with good quality fence paint. Normally this happens when a fence is in the shade most of the day, less of a problem in full sun.”
White vinegar is an effective and natural solution for removing algae as it contains acetic acid, which breaks down the cell walls of algae.
Not only this, but it also makes it more difficult for algae to grow back on fences too.
If you fancy giving this trick a try, all you need to do is mix a solution of equal parts vinegar and water in an empty spray bottle.
BAKING SODA: According to Allan Jeffrey, from Ultra Decking, baking soda can be used to clean fences.
He said: “Rather than pay for a pricey shop-bought product full of chemicals, there’s a cheap and clever way to tackle green algae or mildew – and that’s baking soda. Chances are, you’ll already have the budget-friendly ingredient in your cupboard.”
WET AND FORGET: Mrs Hinch fans have raved about Wet and Forget for banishing algae.
One gardener recommended: “Wet and Forget. You will not be sorry. It’s amazing”, whilst a second agreed: “Wet and Forget is brilliant. Just do what it says, spray it on and forget it.”
WASHING-UP LIQUID: Cleaning fans have also praised washing-up liquid as an effective way to banish grime from fences.
One said: ”Hot soapy water and a big sponge”, whilst another chimed in: “‘I use a sweeping brush dipped in laundry washing liquid and scrub it.”
You should then spray a generous amount of the DIY solution on your wooden fence, focusing on the areas harshly covered in algae.
Alternatively, you can also place the vinegar solution in a bucket and use a paint brush or a sponge to clean away the algae.
The solution must be left to sit on the fence for around 15 to 30 minutes to give it time to break down the algae.
You can then use a scrubbing brush to wipe away the algae and can then rinse away any remaining dead algae with a hose or bucket of water.
Not only is white vinegar an environmentally friendly way to banish algae, but it’s also super affordable too.
Even better, it’s safe to use around plants, pets and children.
And if you don’t have any white vinegar in your cupboard, you’ll be thrilled to know that you can buy a bottle for just 35p from Tesco.
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