Bubby and Bean ::: Living Creatively: 6 Tips for Getting Your Patio Summer-Ready

This post has been sponsored by PINALEN. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

You may remember three years ago when I shared our backyard patio before and after. What started off as a single cement stair became our summertime happy place with a brand new stamped concrete patio and a handmade privacy wall. It was the first DIY project we did after buying this house, and it remains one of my favorite spaces.

Every spring, as soon as the weather shows its first hint of warming up, I feel the thrill of getting the patio ready for summer. I am admittedly an impatient person who normally doesn't relish in the act of getting something ready (because I just want it ready, like yesterday), but the act of preparing the patio for the summer is one of my favorite things to do. And while winter elements can really wreak havoc on outdoor spaces, with a few simple steps, your patio can be clean, comfy, and summertime ready.

1. Deep clean the foundation.

Most patio spaces, ours included, look pretty rough after a long winter. The very first thing I do is sweep as much dirt as possible off of the patio itself. Next, I mix ¼ cup PINALEN® multipurpose cleaner with a gallon of water, and use a scrub brush to deep clean the patio. For tougher stains, I use a small amount of undiluted PINALEN. (Note: If you have colored concrete, which we do, be sure to do a small test spot first.)

2. Wash fabrics.

We store our patio cushions and pillows in an outdoor storage box, and while that keeps them mostly protected through the winter, it's nice to give them a good wash. I remove any covers and wash them in the washing machine. For the sofa cushions that can't be washed, I give them a good wipe down with a damp cloth. I also love using PINALEN Fresh Pine to help deodorize in the washing machine.

3. Wipe down furniture.

To clean the outdoor furniture itself, I mix ¼ cup PINALEN Floral Delight (smells so fresh!) multipurpose cleaner with a gallon of water, and wipe down surfaces with it using a cloth. The dirt comes right off and leaves them clean and smelling great!

4. De-grime the grill.

One of my favorite parts of summertime is making food on the grill! I start with a grill brush and remove any food from the grates that I missed at the end of last season. (If your grates are bad, you can soak them in soapy water with baking soda first.) After that, I de-grease and de-grime the exterior of the grill with some help from PINALEN Fresh Pine. I wipe down the grill and allow to sit for a few minutes, then wipe again and the yuckiness comes right off. What's especially awesome is that PINALEN's degreasing power comes from pine oil!

5. Make it comfy.

Once the patio floor, furniture, and cushions are clean, I put everything together. I put down a rug, arrange the furniture, and add cushions. I love adding lots of pillows to create a cozy vibe. Pillows are also an easy way to add pops of color if you're patio is mostly neutral, like ours.

6. Bring to life.

I mean this literally! Adding plants and flowers to a patio makes the space come alive and truly makes it feel like summertime. I usually add a few planters with flowers as well as some small trees in pots.

7. Light it up.

For the final touch, add some string lights or other fun lighting to create ambience at night. I admittedly tend to forget to take my lights down over the winter. I wipe them down with some PINALEN Fresh Pine and change bulbs and they're good to go!

In addition to the fun touches like throw pillows and plants, my partner in crime for getting my patio truly summer-ready is PINALEN cleaners. They produce a powerful clean and have a fresh scent made from real ingredients, which makes all the difference. (I also love that the pine they used is sustainably sourced!) I highly recommend them for getting your patio ready for the season as well! You can learn more at right here, and can find PINALEN products by using their store locator.

Happy patio season!