It’s Party Time: Patio Cleaning for July 4th

June 30, 2021

This year, more than any other, it’s time to party on the patio. After more than a year of semi-isolation, things are finally opening up. And one of those things is your patio. It’s Independence Day 2021, and it’s time to party on the patio. It’s time to invite those you love to enjoy a 4th of July full of food, fun, friends, and family.

But there’s a problem. The grill hasn’t been used since the summer of 2019, and you’re pretty sure there’s some burnt chicken skin that’s been there for more than two years. The patio furniture has two years of weather, and the metal chairs are showing rust. Clearly, patio cleaning should be of the highest priority. Allow Bar Keepers Friend to help!

Patio Cleaning for July 4th.

Patio Cleaning Surface #1: The Grill

To clean that burnt on chicken skin that’s been “hanging out” on your grill grate for two years, here’s all you’ll need:

• A grill brush (If you don’t have one, wad up a ball of aluminum foil)
• Drop cloth
• A nylon brush or scrub pad
• Gloves
• Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser

Before you let BKF work its magic, let the grill do some of the work. Light the grill and let it heat up for a few minutes. The heat will burn off some of the grime, even the burnt-on chicken skin!

After the grill has cooled, use your grill brush to scrape off the grime.

Next, remove the grate, place them on the drop cloth, sprinkle them with water, and shake Bar Keepers friend on them. Let the mixture sit for one minute, then use your nylon brush or scrub pad to clean the grates. Once clean, rinse the grates with your garden hose, place them back on the grill, and turn on the burner for a few minutes to complete the job.

For the exterior of your grill, the first step is to determine the construction material. Most gas grills today are stainless steel, but not all. Many charcoal grills are painted steel.

It’s best to start with a spot test on the surface of your grill. Pick a small out of sight area and apply the BKF product to ensure it doesn’t dull or damage the surface.

After spot testing the surface of the grill, we suggest Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser or Soft Cleanser for heavily soiled or rusted areas on the surface of your grill. But for everyday cleaning and polishing, we recommend BKF Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish. Used regularly, it will keep your grill shiny and new.

Patio Cleaning Surface #3: Patio Furniture

Don’t let rust on your metal patio furniture cause you to set it out with the trash and jump on Amazon to order new furniture because BKF can bring it back to life. Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser or Soft Cleanser can make your table and chairs look as good as new. If you choose the classic cleanser, mix some powder with a bit of water – just enough to create a paste – and then leave it on the surface for five minutes. After five minutes, rub the cleanser on the surface with a soft cloth and rinse thoroughly.

Do you know those water spots that seem to grow on tables with glass tops? A few squeezes of BKF Soft Cleanser and a soft cloth will wipe them away.

• Squeeze some soft cleaner on the tabletop
• Wipe with a soft wet cloth
• Use a cloth or paper towel to dry
• I also like BKF MORE Spray + Foam for quick daily clean-ups

More Party on the Patio

Patio Cleaning Surface #4: Concrete Slab

So, after last winter, my concrete patio slab was nasty. There were dead ants, bird droppings, rust stains, and more. I googled, “Can I clean my concrete slab with BKF,” and the answer was yes!

“Sprinkle Barkeepers Friend on the dampened area, scrub with a good brush, rinse, repeat. Ooh! I love Bar Keeper’s Friend! Great suggestion! Appreciate your time.” — The best way to remove oil stains from the driveway?

I took the hose and sprayed the slab, sprinkled BKF, used a brush on the stains, a broom on the entire slab, and then rinsed it with the hose on a high jet setting. I needed to attack a couple of the stains after the first rinse with a little more powder and a lot more brush, but now my slab is spotless.

Patio Cleaning Surface #5: Lawn Decorations 

For plastic materials, we recommend MORE Spray + Foam.

For daily dirt and dust on steel or metal décor, we suggest BKF Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish.

On your stone fountains and statues, use BKF’s Granite and Stone Cleaner. It’s designed specifically for those surfaces. And the best part is that all you do is spray and wipe!

Is it Time to Party on the Patio?

We think it’s time to party on the patio. So, set your blue tooth speakers to some yacht music, fill the cooler (cleaned with BKF) with your favorite beverages, and throw some burgers and dogs on the grill. Have a safe, happy, and clean 4th of July!

About the Author

Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He publishes a weekly blog at Randy Clark Leadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek and on weekends (after COVID-19) he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two educators; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook: A crash course in effective management.