The Dirty Truth!

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Just in case you thought this was a blog that would only share the clean and pretty projects - let me clarify.  Rescuing an older home involves a lot of DIRT - and I am not afraid to share!
Presenting..........the fence:
Ewwww!

The cottage came with a vinyl picket fence that stretched across the back yard.  It's a nice fence, but it was incredibly dirty!  As you can see, it was covered in mold, mildew, and a few lichen. Initially, I had no idea how to clean it and I certainly didn't cherish the thought of scrubbing every square inch of a fence that stretched about 60 feet.  
Then it hit me......bleach! It's used to kill mold all the time!  I grabbed the bottle of bleach and a spray bottle, added bleach and warm water in a 1:5 ratio, and sprayed one section of the fence. The grime melted away!  I sprayed the next section and then went back to look at the first one. 
Since my husband had already turned off the outside faucets for winter, I went back inside and grabbed a bucket of warm water and a rag.  With no scrubbing, the vinyl wiped clean.  Here's the proof:


Remember the "Before"?
YUK!

The 2 Steps:
1.  Spray with bleach solution.
2.  Wipe clean.  I really think a garden hose would
      work, too.

My husband helped, and with two of us working, it took no time at all to clean both sides of the entire fence - no scrubbing involved!

Fabulous!

Thanks for stopping by the cottage.  I promise the next post will not be as dirty, so come back again soon!

Linking to:
Make It Pretty Monday.
Whatever Wednesday
Before & After Wednesday



Comments

  1. Christina MorleyOctober 21, 2014 at 3:07 PM

    That's a really neat trick. I'm sure your neighbors are also happy to see the transformation. I learned on Pinterest that you can add vinegar to an outdoor fountain and it keeps the water clean. I tried it and it works! I wonder if vinegar would also work on your fence in the future. People also use vinegar and water to clean their windows here in South Africa. It's cheaper and healthier than window cleaning stuff. All the best with getting your yard landscaped. Karren at Oh My Heartsie Girl said that that was your next project. Tina from Amanda's Books and More

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnOctober 22, 2014 at 1:22 PM

      Vinegar is another one of my favorites - except my husband HATES the smell!! LOL
      My neighbors are thrilled...we've been doing so much work on this house, the neighbors are always wondering, "what's next?"!

      Delete
  2. UnknownOctober 22, 2014 at 7:30 AM

    I have used this same mixture on our camper roof. Sprayed it on using a squirt bottle, (sun or warm weather very beneficial). Watched while it whitened right up! Rinsed with a hose. Also used it on the awning. (ours is vinyl not fabric) Was so happy with results. Please remember to avoid overspray onto your neighbors as it will spot their things.
    Thanks for sharing your fence project and reminding me of its many uses.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnOctober 22, 2014 at 1:23 PM

      My pleasure, Lynda! The only thing that was spotted was my husband's shirt! LOL

      Delete
  3. Nancy CarrOctober 22, 2014 at 9:43 AM

    I came over from Hometalk and joined you today. Great tip. Thank you. Blessings

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 22, 2014 at 10:31 AM

    I thought I was the only one who had a vinyl fence that looked like this. I moved in to help my mother and this is one of the projects I need to tackle. I hadn't figured out how to attack...but nothing I had thought of was going to be as easy as your solution! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnOctober 22, 2014 at 1:24 PM

      You are not alone, Debbie! Good luck with your mom's fence, let me know how it turns out!

      Delete
  5. B is 4October 22, 2014 at 10:43 AM

    That after photo is amazing, looks so new and fresh! Nice job on that, I like the idea of renovating and restoring but it can be a dirty job. It's great you didn't have to scrub at all, too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnOctober 22, 2014 at 1:25 PM

      Scrubbing is not my favorite job, Bernadyn! So glad this job is done!

      Delete

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