Friday, June 20, 2014

Porch Clean-up

Hello everyone!

I promised you pictures of my fresh clean front porch all ready for summer.  And I'm happy to say that it's ready.  It was a lot of work, but so worth it!  Our porch provides us a lot of shade since it's under so many trees.  However, the trees can make it get dirty fast.  Plus we live in the south which means we get a lot of heat and humidity during the warm months, so we have to deal with mildew on the white railings.  Then yellow pollen in the Spring.  So, cleaning our porch is not a luxury, it's a necessity!  

We used these two solutions to clean it.


My poor husband did most of the cleaning because I wasn't able to use the pressure washer.  Have you ever tried using one of those things?  It's hard!


He climbed up the ladder to get the top portion of the porch.  It was a wet and dirty job!



Just look at this close-up of our gutters though.  The left side is before and the right side is after it's cleaned.


We really need to cut these limbs off that are hanging on our house.

Just look at what visited us while we were out there too!


Yep!  That would be a snake.  It was a king snake so it wasn't dangerous.  But, let's just say that I quit walking in the pinestraw after that!  

We took the furniture off the porch to clean it also.


And now.................here is the after!


I didn't style it for photos because it's just too darn hot!  It's also too darn muggy.  So, this is how it looks all the time now.  The cushions were also cleaned.  They are made with outdoor fabric.  Everything out here is weather proof and functional.  That is key to having it last!


Sometimes, at night, I'll light the candle in my lantern and sit outside and rock.  So peaceful!  

I recently purchased these pink geraniums for our porch.  I've had good luck with them before. We removed the planter baskets that were on our rails because they were looking bad. So, now I just put flowers around the front door.


So, do you want to come over and drink some lemonade with me on my newly cleaned front porch?  I promise you'll get lots of shade.  But, I can't promise you won't sweat to death from the high humidity here in GA.  I really could use some ceiling fans out here. 

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

21 comments:

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

We had one of those snakes near our front walk the other day....shiver!

Your porch looks like a wonderful place to sip lemonade! I will be right over ;-)

Moni - Zuhaus at Home said...

Your porch looks great! Perfect place to relax and enjoy a glass of lemonade!

Deserae said...

All that hard work was worth it because your porch looks fabulous!!!!! I bought new cushions for my wicker furniture on my porch and my neighbor's cats have now sprayed and gotten them filthy. I don't even go out there now because I am so frustrated! @@
Have a great weekend!!
~Des

Stacey said...

Such a great feeling to get jobs like that done!! I know your porch is a wonderful place to hang out. :)

Lisa @ Texas Decor said...

Your porch looks wonderful, Kelly! That's a lot of work and y'all did a great job. That snake would've freaked me out too. Yikes! I was wondering how you clean your outdoor cushions? Do you spot clean them, or can you throw them in the washer? I should clean mine too. Have a wonderful weekend!

Barbara @ 21 Rosemary Lane said...

I love your front porch Kelly! It is so large and beautiful! We have a lot of wild life around us in NJ...but I have yet to encounter a snake!
Enjoy your gorgeous and freshly cleaned porch this first weekend of summer!
XO Barbara

Junkchiccottage said...

Kelly
I'm on my way. Your porch looks so pretty and inviting. I would love sitting out there on a cool summer evening so peaceful.
Kris

SImple and Serene Living said...

I'll be right over. Just as soon as you have desnaked (is that a word?) the property. :)
xo Laura

cynthia lee designs said...

Love your porch...so pretty!! I wish my porch had a roof over it.
~Cindy

Vickie @ Ranger 911 said...

I'd love to, but you have to keep the snakes away. Yikes!

Your porch looks like a great place to relax in the evenings.

Daniela @Frugal Aint Cheap said...

hard and wet work for sure! It definitely looks nice and clean. I am (mostly) ok with heat...it's the cold that I cannot handle too well.

Babs said...

Great job! Your porch looks so fresh and clean.
I didn't know they made outdoor bleach. If you're looking for something to do this weekend, come on over. We have a deck that could use a scrub. :)

Sandy said...

Ypur porch looks so nice and welcoming! Ceiling fans would be perfect. I bet it's great sitting out there when the sun goes down.

Amy at Ms. Toody Goo Shoes said...

I say "YES" to coming over for some lemonade! Your porch is fabulous, Kelly, even "unstyled." I would love a porch like yours!

Shirley@Housepitality Designs said...

Looks great and just in time for some great summertime relaxing on the porch!...Will be in your area soon, so count me in on the lemonade on your beautiful porch..I'll bring the cookies!

This N That said...

I'll be right there Kelly. Your humidity isn't any worse than what we have here in Pennsylvania. It's been awful.Your porch looks wonderful and so inviting. I have used the power washer many times but not one that size probably. Looks great. All you have to do now is enjoy it. Have a great weekend Kelly.

Heaven's Walk said...

It looks wonderful, Kelly. What a huge difference. We desperately need to do that over here, too. Hopefully it'll get done before the summer is over...

Love the sweet simplicity of your porch and how you styled it. Such a cozy spot to watch the world go by. :)

xoox laurie

Wendy McDonagh-Valentine said...

The porch looks so relaxing and inviting. A lemonade in hand while sitting in one of your rockers sounds like a wonderful place to be!! : )

~ Wendy

Sherry @ Thrift My House said...

Your porch looks fantastic! And yes, I'll be over for that lemonade! I love the cushions. Amazing that they look so clean and white. Really pops with the black.

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Unknown said...

What a lovely porch! While I like how it looks now, I was more impressed with your rocking chairs. You guys could easily take a nap on those any time! Anyway, what's the status on your gutters? Those tree branches are contributing to the mess, so trimming those could solve a big part of your gutter problem. Keeping them clean is a priority, especially before the rainy and cold seasons. Also, you don't want a snake dropping in on you while you hang out by the porch, right?

Tami Garcia @ Affordable Seamless Gutters