Welcome to the 856th Metamorphosis Monday! How long have I been back in Georgia? Feels like ages, but it’s only been 12 days. I’ve been busy dealing with yard work, getting quotes for bathroom renovations, and cleaning the screened porch. Normally, once winter has passed, I give the porch a good cleaning from top to bottom. That process is usually a two-day event that takes place over one weekend. Then, partway through spring, the porch gets another thorough cleaning once the pollen siege is over. After that, maintaining the porch the rest of the year is similar to that of any other room—just the occasional vacuuming and dusting.
This year has been very different! My son and DIL invited me along on their yearly spring break trip, which meant leaving for Ohio way earlier than I had originally planned. With the frequent rain we’ve been experiencing in Georgia (and other states) not being here for much of spring meant that, upon my return, the porch was the dirtiest I have ever seen it. I felt pretty discouraged when I arrived back home and opened the door to the porch.
So I did what I always do when approaching an overwhelming task: I decided to spread out the cleaning process over several days instead of trying to tackle it all at once. I started by bringing in all the dining chairs and giving them a good vacuuming and wipe down. Two of the chairs had tons of spider nests underneath, including one spider. I tried to catch the spider with my bug catcher, but she’s still hiding under one of the fabric slat things underneath. I’ll return her back to the porch today. lol
I wiped down all the tables and started sweeping the porch. I didn’t take any photos of the disgusting piles of pollen, but imagine pollen so thick and deep that sweeping the porch created four good-sized piles. Next, I wiped down the horizontal rails under the windows. I still need to bring up my tall ladder from the basement to clean the molding under the Summer Breeze sign. I wish there were porch cleaning services that one could call for spring cleaning—that should definitely be a thing! lol
After the sweeping, which took quite a while, I vacuumed the flooring. Today, I plan to mop the floor, which shouldn’t take too long.
Another major cleaning project involved the hutch, which was almost black with dirt and grime. I unloaded all the dishes, took them inside, and washed them by hand. I removed the 5 white pitchers that were across the top, washing them as well. Next, the hutch got a thorough cleaning, and thankfully, all the dirt/grime came off. I don’t think I’ll place the pitchers back on top—I like how the hutch looks without them. The lamp also got a good wipe down.
The screen porch doors have a tendency to catch anything that falls from the trees. I’ll remove the screen and clean this door today.
I’ve already cleaned the one with the dragonfly design, although I didn’t do the bottom half, and I now see a few leaves stuck behind the screen in this photo. Argh.
Next up will be scrubbing down all the wicker. I had taken all the cushions in before leaving for Ohio, so you can see all the pollen and dirt that accumulated over the winter and spring. This is outdoor wicker, so it’s okay to clean it.
My favorite cleaner for cleaning the outdoor wicker and a lot of the grime on the porch molding is this Super Cleaner. I’ve been using it for years to clean the hutch, molding, outdoor wicker, etc… I always go back with a damp rag to rinse the cleaner away. It cuts through serious dirt/grime better than any cleaner I’ve ever used! (Cleaner is available here: Super Cleaner.)
This will take the better part of the day as I’ll need to take each piece out onto the deck to clean it, except for the swing, which would be too much of a hassle to remove. I’ve already cleaned the end table, so that’s done, but I still need to clean the settee, swing, and the two wicker chairs that go with this set.
Oh, and I still need to clean the swing chain covers—can’t forget those! It’s really helped, spreading this cleaning process out over the space of a week or so. So, my advice if you have a big job hanging over your head, break it down into smaller parts and tackle one little project at a time. Oh, and if you have a screened porch, don’t abandon it all spring!
Hopefully, the next time I share the porch, it will look more like this! I’d like to set a table here for this week’s Tablescape Thursday!
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Metamorphosis Monday: Metamorphosis Monday is a party that’s all about Before and Afters. Please link up your Before and After projects like DIY projects, room makeovers, craft projects even recipes. Please do not link up Table Settings; save those for our Tablescape Thursday party on Thursday. If you are participating in Met Monday, link your post to the party using the “permalink” to your MM post and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on the name of your post, then copy and paste the address (that shows in the address bar at the top of your blog) into the “url” box for InLinkz when prompted.
Your porch is such a beauty! I was wondering what your process is for cleaning your wicker. It looks like rattan wicker and not PVC wicker. I have inherited a good bit of real wicker and was wondering what was the best way to clean it without damaging it.
Thanks, Jan! With PVC/outdoor wicker, I’ve sometimes had it cleaned when I was having the decks pressure-washed, but not sure if I’ll do that this year since they still look pretty good. For real wicker, the only thing I know to do is to use a soft brush to clean in between the wicker and wipe it down the best you can. My table and chairs on the porch are real wicker, and it’s pretty much impossible to get all the dust out of the seats. I’ve been tempted to gently wash them with water and place them out in the sun, but I’ve never tried that before, so not sure how that would work.
Just a random thought. BAck a few years ago when I lived on our “retirement” farm I had many, many outdoor tables and chairs which acquired a lot of barn “dust”, webs, and assorted “inhabitants.” After doing them all individually one year at great time and personal well-being cost, I decided to try lining all up and using my leaf blower on them the following years. These were wrought iron and it worked splendidly. Next came the hose. The finished results were very satisfying! Now living in the south and understanding deep pollen, plus having an old wicker, but enclosed porch (Lani) I wonder if the leaf blower would be feasible for them? It was lightweight and not landscaper grade?
My lawn guy is here and was just now blowing off the decks. I ran outside and asked him to try blowing off the dirt that was on the seat of the wicker swing. His blower is gas-powered, so way more powerful than my battery-powered one. Unfortunately, it did budge the dirt on the swing, probably because of the humidity and how thick and damp the pollen is here. That was a great idea, though! Maybe if I could catch the pollen early in the season before the humidity gets so thick, maybe then it would work. I’m tempted to call up the guy I’ve used for pressure washing in the past, just to ask him if he can come clean the outdoor wicker. lol
Such a big job…and you are wise to break it up. Our porch is much smaller and the pollen was AWFUL! Gave it a good cleaning early on, another good one last week and hopefully now we are good to go! Enjoy porch weather !
That’s the way to do it! Thanks, Ann!
What a job!! Wow, so much work. Can you use the hose in there and then sweep and/or shop vac the floors? You’re obviously doing a great job. Not sure i could keep doing that, year after year, especially knowing there.’s another home to have to maintain!
I probably could since it’s porch flooring. When I’ve had the exterior of the porch cleaned, some water always comes inside and I just wipe it up with towels. One year, when I cleaned the swing, I placed towels under it and washed it with a brush and Dawn in a bucket of water. Then I poured clean water over it to rinse it. I’ll probably do that again this time.
I was looking at some screened porches online the other day…the kind that have windows that can be raised or lowered, and I hated how they took away from the view. but that would help with keeping the pollen out.
Hi Susan,
What a job! It is a good thing you are doing it over several days for sure…
When cleaning wicker, I found a way to save my back. I purchased a “Tbowl” brush. The bristles are stiff and could get in all the wicker’s crevices. I worked outside, added a little bleach to the bucket of gentle cleaning solution and rinsed them with the garden hose. Then I left them out in the sun to dry… FYI this worked for the faux wicker as well as my dearly loved antique pieces…
SheilaC
Hi Susan
How do your floors hold up with the rain, snow and changing seasons? We have a screened porch and were thinking of an alternative to just the deck flooring. If they seem to hold up okay, what product did you use.
I didn’t want deck flooring because before I added on my porch, whenever I would go on garden tours, I would often see screening underneath the flooring, when the screened porches were high enough to see under. I asked why that was there and was told to keep bugs out. So I went with KDAT tongue and groove porch flooring so I wouldn’t have to worry about that. You can read about that flooring here: https://www.yellawood.com/products/kiln-dried-after-treatment/kdat-tongue-and-groove-porch-flooring/
The porch was added on in 2008 and so far, it has held up great to snow and rain. It’s important to have it installed according the instructions. My contractor was trying to push me toward tile, but I really, really didn’t want tile on my porch floor. I wanted it to feel more like an old-fashioned porch with a real wood floor.
Hi Susan, have you considered installing windows (the kind that open and close) in your porch? It would save you a lot of cleaning. I used to have a screened back porch in my house when I was living in North Carolina, and we had functional windows installed and it was the best thing we could have done! We were even able to use the porch in the winter, if it wasn’t too cold.
I’ve thought about it, but I don’t ever use it during the wintertime. I mainly just care about using it from spring through early fall. This is the only bad time of the year, when I have to deal with removing the pollen. The rest of the time isn’t that bad. I love the openness of the screening and the large windows. If they had windows that you could make completely disappear, I think I would like that.
What a job! How much prep work do you do with a vacuum before the wiping down process?
I sweep it really well to get the bulk off the floor, then I vacuum the last little bit. Moping is the last thing I do, that’s coming next…that and wiping down all the molding.
I wasn’t clear. I meant using a crevice tool attachment to help clean the furniture beforehand.
I tried vacuuming it with a brush attachment, and the dirt didn’t budge. It’s going to take cleaning solution and scrubbing with a brush. I doubt I’ll use any bleach on the swing since I can’t take it out on the deck, but I may use a little mixed with soapy water on the other pieces. Or, I may call the company I’ve used for pressure washing in the past and left them do a soft wash of it out on the deck. It’s comes out completely clean when they’ve done that in the past.
Susan,
Your porch and blog were the very first one I saw and was hooked on blogs ever since…I adore your porch…It is best to take your time cleaning it which is something that I too am learning….
Thanks so much for hosting!! I really appreciate the time and effort that goes into it along with visiting all the links!! I hope you are enjoying your week and you are doing well…
Hugs,
Deb
Debbie-Dabble Blog
Friends of ours have a vacation home with a similar porch. Some years ago, they had someone cut clear acrylic window sheets that attached to the window frames with some kind of white magnetic strips around the edges. They hang them at the end of the season and it helps keep the porch cleaner over the winter.
Oh, wow! I love that idea! I need to figure out how to do that! Thanks for that suggestion, Cyndy!
Oh, I feel your pain. We have started adding a preventative step before the pollen. We take an old sheet and cover the day bed. I stack all the cushions underneath as well. Doesn’t look good but nobody dares go out during pollen season. We even lock the door!. Unveiling day, I carefully take it off and shake it out AWAY from the house. So much easier. (Then we use the lawn blower to ‘vacuum’ during the summer.) HA Enjoy the season, wherever you are.
Peace,
We have a screened in porch in Ohio. My husband scrubbed it down like he always does. I cleaned all the furniture put all the decorations in had it pristine then we got a lot of rain so much rain that it was like slashing through a puddle on the porch so we had to redo it all after letting it dry out with the fan running for days . I am over it. I think I want it Glassed in!!!!!
Like everything else, we can see you put your all into it. Since you are away so long at the Dollhouse, why not cover the porch furniture with sheets or plastic paint covers during the winter? The plastic sheets you could just toss out.
Did you replace the kitchen table yet?
That would cover the floor, but at least it would protect the wicker. Better than nothing.
After we built our screen porch and spending about a week cleaning it every spring for about 5 years or so, we looked at all the options for closing it in. I felt like I was constantly dusting and vacuuming out there! We decided on Eze Breeze windows because when they’re all raised or lowered it still feels more like a screened in porch with all the panels raised or lowered. We are able to use it more of the year because with the windows all closed on a sunny day it can be 20 degrees warmer. We’re in Minnesota, and the family spent a Christmas afternoon out there one year because it was such a nice sunny day!
The GA pollen this year was on steroids. We have a small electric pressure washer from Home Depot that we use on our furniture. We just take it out onto the deck and pressure wash. It seems to remove everything without any scrubbing. While that’s drying my husband uses an O Cedar spin mop on the floors and goes over them twice.
Your porch is always fun to see in any condition. I would think you would be exhausted trying to maintain two homes. My parents had a cottage in that we would be in or do weekends in the warmer months. We were forever cleaning washing and forgetting what was where as far as pantry goods were. Hope it smooths out for you soon. Sandi
Susan, I live in Savannah and feel your porch cleaning pain! But once it is done, nothing better than a screened porch early in the morning or late in the day..otherwise, too hot! I have a question. I notice your table is quite close to the side of the porch. Does rain blow into your porch? It does on mine, and I am always out there after the rain wiping the floor up with towels. We even put up long curtains on the porch and that helps some, but when it is really raining hard and windy, they just blow open. Wondering how you deal with the rain. Thanks!
I know, I love that! ♥
Sometimes the rain blows in, but the porch does have a deep overhang, so that helps. The table has weathered a little, but it was that way when I bought it, so I don’t mind. The top has a polyurethane finish which helps.
What a job! I can imagine how you felt when you opened the door to the porch. I love your little hutch! That’s how we first met when I asked you how you went about painting it. I just painted another hutch that I had used Martin Senor painting technique on years ago (three coats). I tried chalk paint, but I don’t like how it turned out. I stripped and sanded the hutch before using the chalk paint. Your porch is so lovely and I like that you returned the spider back outside. lol
I bring all my cushions from the deck in during the fall. I wash the slip covers and then place them in the basement during the winter. We now just cover our aluminum furniture with outdoor furniture covers during the winter. With our other set of outdoor furniture, we bring it into the garage or into the basement. That way come spring we only need to clean the deck. I wonder if you could bring in your furniture to the garage or the basement and that way you wouldn’t have to clean it except every few years.
Another idea I had, is using Wet and Forget It. Not certain it would work on wicker, you could read the directions. You spray it on it cleans without rinsing. Also, what about Krud Kutter? I have used that to clean my artificial trees periodically. Wishing you an easier time in cleaning your lovely porch!
What a beautiful porch! I especially love the floor – so pretty. My question is about your cushions. Do you store them inside during the winter? If you leave them out, do you use Super Clean on them? I’m wondering if that product would work on fabric outdoor cushions. I’m afraid ours got a good coating of pollen this spring.
Thanks, Beth! I normally do leave them all winter since here in the south we get these out-of-the-blue warm days, even during the winter. I normally just vacuum them off, and that’s pretty much all they need. They still look pretty good after all these years on the porch. That cleaner is recommended (I think) for upholstery, but it’s quite strong and concentrated, so I would def dilute it before using it on upholstery. Check to make sure of that, though…before you use it. I’ve used on leather seats to remove denim transfer from jeans and it worked great.
Thank you, Susan. I’ll stick with vacuuming our cushions. That should work but, if not, I’ll dilute the cleaner. I appreciate your response and your wonderful blog!
Hi Susan. I live in North Carolina, and also have a screened-in porch with wicker furniture. Every spring, right after pollen season, the guy and his team that are my power-washers/painters clean the porch. They take the wicker furniture and rug out to the driveway and rinse it, and clean all of the pollen/moldy spots off the porch (I do the small things myself, but this is much easier than doing it all alone!). I do admire your work ethic, however.
That’s what I’m going to start doing…that’s a great idea, Kathy! It just takes too long, doing it by myself.
I got a brochure in the mail today from Polywood. They are having a 4th of July sale. Thought you might be interested in that based on your recent post. https://www.polywood.com/collections/4th-of-july-sale?utm_campaign=20250619_catalog&utm_medium=print&utm_source=catalog_a