How to clean your garden ornaments?

If you are wondering how to clean your garden statues, bird baths and other ornaments, there are a few things you need to know.

1. You do not need expensive cleaning kits

Don’t fall into the advertising trap of specialist cleaning kits to clean your garden ornaments. There are plenty of household items available that are available at your disposal!
What to use depends greatly on the material that your garden statue is made out of. Although it’s safe to use a mixture of diluted vinegar with most natural stone ornaments, your best bet is to use household soap or eco-friendly washing up liquid.

1. Be careful of surrounding flora

If your ornament is small enough, move it somewhere where it will be easier to clean and less damaging to the surrounding plants and flora. Although small amounts of soap and washing up liquid will not damage most plants, some flora is more delicate than others!
If your garden ornament is particularly large, it might be worth covering the local flora with a light cloth or plastic bag. Just be careful to remove it as soon as you are done. Your plants need the sun and fresh air to stay strong.

1. Check the weather forecast

If you are cleaning during autumn or winter, be wary of the temperature drops!
Freezing water can get into the little imperfections of the ornament, especially if it survived plenty of winters already. Of course, high quality ornaments have a level of coating to protect against weather damage. For example, a thin protective layer, reflective wax or artistic coating.

1. Say no to power-washers

Power washers are a big no-no to garden ornaments. A little chip in the stone could easily become a large crack or even break apart the ornament. No matter the size, we do not recommend using a power-washer for domestic ornaments.

1. Use a brush to remove the grime

Before you attempt to get any cleaning chemicals out, wet and wipe your ornament with a cloth or a wet wipe. This will remove the outer layer of grime and dampen the dirt for easier cleaning.

1. Washing up sponge will do the trick.

A little bit of hand soap or washing up liquid will go a long way. Your average sponge will come really handy, as it can easily shape and squeeze into the nooks and crannies of the garden ornament. Be careful with the rough side of the sponges as they are often painted and will discolour your ornament. The little metal fibres will break off and fill the little imperfections in the stone, making it really difficult to get out.

That’s it! Just follow these little tricks and your ornament will be back to its former glory.

Of course, if you believe that your garden would benefit from a new look, you can always check out our range of garden ornaments here.