Keep the Outdoor Germs in Check While Loving the Fun!

***Thank you to Clorox® Regular-Bleach 1 for sponsoring this post so I could fill you in on the efficient cleaning power of Clorox® Regular-Bleach 1 in tackling outdoor germs!***

Friends, this is our season! This is the time of year when my husband and I shed our latest Netflix addiction, shake off those indoor cobwebs and finally meet up with our true element–that of the great, gorgeous outdoors! I’ve shared before how very much we love our deck and enjoy hosting family and friends, but haven’t yet chatted about how we keep our outdoor space clean.

Here’s the thing–it’s no secret I’m not a natural cleaner by any stretch, but I am rather invested in efforts to keep my family generally healthy (sick time is no fun–for anyone!). So in the vein of packing in the most cleaning punch in the least amount of time, I grab the Clorox to make efficient work of keeping those outdoor germs at bay.

4 tricks to keep the outdoor germs in check:

1. Tackle the hotspots. Even though your company is hanging outside, they will still trek inside to use the bathroom. So give it a solid Clorox cleaning. Tackle door knobs and light switches along with your bathroom clean-up and you’re golden.
2. When grossness happens, call in the Clorox. Trust me, we have had our fair share of “deposits” in the kiddie pool. This is when it’s time to shut it down and whip out the Clorox to thoroughly disinfect the scene of the crime. Stop the germs in their tracks and then get back to play time. Use this formula to clean wading pools: Use 5 tsp per 100 gallons of water. For example, an 8-foot diameter pool holding 1 foot of water would require 20 tsp -or- 3 oz. of this product. To chlorinate, mix required amount of bleach with 2 gallons of water and scatter over surface of empty pool. Fill remainder of pool with water. Empty small pools daily.
3. Take a minute to wipe down your cooking tools. We grill a TON in the summer months, so it’s important to regularly disinfect cutting boards and knives with a solid Clorox wash.
4. Swipe a Clorox wash over deck furniture and patios to halt the spread of germs. Each swipe cuts the spread of germs and helps keep your family healthy to enjoy all that sunshine! No one needs to be down with a sick bug over summer months!

How do you make an effective Clorox wash?

To clean and disinfect frequently touched hard surfaces, such as the bathtub, bathroom sinks, kitchen countertops and cutting boards:

• Use 1/2 cup of Clorox ® Regular-Bleach 1 in 1 gallon of water.
• Thoroughly wet surface with the solution and allow it to remain on the surface for 5 minutes.
• Rinse with clean water and dry.

To remove mold and mildew at home, you can use Clorox ® Regular-Bleach 1 on hard non porous surfaces and items:

• Disinfect all cleaned surfaces with a solution of 1/2 cup of Clorox ® Regular-Bleach 1 diluted in 1 gallon of water.
• Let the solution stay on the surface for at least 10 minutes before rinsing with clear water or allowing to dry.
• Routinely check potential problem spots (e.g. Bathroom, laundry, mechanical room, etc.) for moldy odors, and disinfect often with a solution of 1/2 cup of Clorox ® Regular-Bleach 1 diluted in 1 gallon of water.

How else can Clorox do to brighten up your summer months?

You can use Clorox® Regular-Bleach 1 to help kill mold and mildew around your house:

• Protect nearby plants and grass by watering area thoroughly before and after product use. Patio moss and mildew stains can be unsightly, slippery and dangerous. Hose patio to remove loose debris. Then use this product to remove moss and mildew stains by washing the area with a solution of 3/4 cup of this product to 1 gallon of water. Reapply the solution as needed to keep the area wet for 5 minutes. Brush as needed to remove moss and then rinse thoroughly. Avoid excessive runoff near plants.
• Cleaning flower containers helps prevent the transfer of molds and diseases from old plants to new ones. Wash and [thoroughly] rinse pots and planters. Soak 5 minutes in a solution of 1/2 cup of this product to one gallon of water, then rinse.

And check out this cool trick! I LOVE getting fresh-cut flower from farmer’s markets in the summer, and now I can keep them even longer! Use Clorox® Regular-Bleach 1 to help extend the life of cut flowers:

• Add 1/4 teaspoon of Clorox® Regular-Bleach 1 to each quart of cold water. You can also use this to remove flower vase stains and odors. Wash the vase thoroughly and then fill with a solution of 1/2 cup bleach to (1) gallon water. Let stand 5 minutes before rinsing.

For even more how-to help for cleaning with Clorox® Regular-Bleach 1, check out these step-by-step videos!

Sold yet on the simple genius of Clorox® Regular-Bleach 1 in helping tackle outdoor germs and freshening up your home? Trust me, I get it, time is precious, especially in the gorgeous summer months. So don’t waste time with ineffective cleaning. Grab the Clorox® Regular-Bleach 1 and throw yourself into germ-free summer fun!

First image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:21564787, copyright:Ariwasabi

Second image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:28945509, copyright:dmitrimaruta

Third image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:95979260, copyright:a_taiga

Last image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:4998408, copyright:piotr_marcinski

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Meredith

Meredith blogs at The Mom of the Year, where she dedicatedly earns her title one epic parenting fail at a time, offering quick, relatable laughs for fellow parents and all their empathizers. She has been part of several best-selling anthologies, featured on prominent sites such as Huffington Post, In the Powder Room and BlogHer, and loves her role as the Executive VP/Operations Manager of The BlogU Conference. When she's not breaking up fights over Legos and juice boxes, she remains fully committed to sharing a less serious look at the world of parenting.

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