TGIF, sweet friends! What have y’all been up to this week? We have been taking advantage of the nice weather this week in the Carolinas to get outside and work on a few projects. One thing on my to-do list is to spruce up the front porch for spring. But before I can do that, I need to take care of some housekeeping issues, such as figuring out how to clean rust off of flagstone! Come check out what I discovered!
Every year I plant Boston ferns in the pretty black planters on our front porch. And of course they need water, so eventually the water runs out the bottom and out onto the flagstone. And sadly it rusted in several spots. Before I start decorating the porch, I need to start at the beginning and clean it all up! Here’s how the rust stains looked. Not very attractive for a spring porch!
After some research and a few trips to Lowe’s, I finally found what I needed! It’s called “RustAid” by Goof Off. It wasn’t that expensive for a gallon but I wish it came in smaller amounts. I’ll probably never use this much, but oh well. The instructions say it should be applied full-strength, and can be used on most all outdoor surfaces, including brick, stucco, pavers, concrete, driveways, foundations, and exterior walls. I wanted to make sure that it was safe to use on flagstone and the grout and the instructions didn’t give any contraindications, so I figured it was okay. (Some cleaners say specifically NOT to use on natural stone or pavers so check to make sure it’s safe for your project before you begin.)
You can pour the cleaner directly into a sprayer if you have a large area to clean. But, because I was only cleaning a small area, I poured the solution into a small bowl and used an old toothbrush. I scrubbed the grout areas thoroughly with the toothbrush, applying the cleaner liberally. Then I let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing. Wallah! So much better, right?
Tomorrow I plan to pressure wash the entire front porch and the steps leading up to the porch. Then I’ll be ready for my front porch refresh! I have some pretty spring wreaths that I bought at the end of the season last year and can’t wait to share with you! And instead of ferns this year I”m going a low maintenance route and use faux topiaries. No water required, hence no rust! And a quick before and after! Pretty amazing, right?
I know I”m probably jumping the shark by decorating for spring already, but hey, who else is ready? Maybe Mother Nature will take the hint. Be sure to check back in next week! I plan to share a few good recipes with you and my DIY plans for while my hubby is golfing! Until then, I hope the good Lord takes a liking to you! (borrowed from Roy Rogers, but still heart felt.) xoxo Dell
