Several years ago my dad built a playhouse from scratch – its treasured by our family and taking care of it is important to us. But spring cleaning a normal house is a bit different than a playhouse! Here are a few tips for bringing Spring to your Playhouse!
Taking your playhouse from eek to chic!
Playhouses come in all shapes and sizes, and plastic playhouses will be cleaned in a different way than wood playhouses. But no matter what your playhouse looks like the number one way to get it clean, is to enlist the troops!
Get the Kids Involved:
Cleaning Tea Sets, Dishes and toys inside the Playhouse:
- Get a plastic tub with sponges and dishrags and fill it with some soapy water, and get the kids involved rinsing the playhouse dishes. We laid out a towel so they could dry in the sun. Not only did the plates and pretend food get a little cleaner, but it kept kiddos out of the playhouse while I needed to clean inside it!
Plastic Playhouses:
- If your playhouse is off the plastic variety, you may already know that using a magic Eraser will help you get off the scuffs that have accumulated – but did you know that after you clean it up, you can use Armor All wipes to make it shine super pretty? You can!
- Just get the container of Armor All wipes they sell at the auto store for cleaning the inside of your car, then use the wipes on all the plastic parts of the playhouse – and it will gleam like new! Remember not to use them on steps or metal, as it will make the surface slippery.
- If you encounter mildew on your plastic playhouse you can use a bleach/water mix to clean it. Just mix one part bleach to 10 parts water to wash it clean.
Wooden Playhouses:
- To wash the wooden outside of a wood playhouse you can mix 1 tbs of bleach, 5 tbs. of soft dish detergent, to 1 gallon of water. Use a soft bristled brush on the wood. After it dries check and see if the wood needs a new layer of sealant or paint.
- Check your play house for any structural imperfections. Are there any nails that have come loose? Is any wood becoming jagged? If so – fix the structural problems before the lions share of the cleaning. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to check on the safety of the play structure before its starts getting used more!
Tis the season for lemon-aid stands, running under the hose – and playing in the playhouse – Have fun in your newly clean space!
About Shannon SchmidShannon traded in her sensible NYC TV producer shoes (they were best for taking the subway), for a pair of Texas Cowboy boots when she married her best friend! He's at fault for making this Yankee a Texan! Shannon writes about all things that make a house a home. Her chief blogging inspiration is being the proud & slightly neurotic mom of a preschool age daughter.
You can find Shannon on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and her new favorite place to hang out, Google+.
Shan, love the picture of Molly and Jackson cleaning. Molly’s face is hilarious! I clicked on the building of the playhouse Grandpa built, now I need a tissue! The sweetest Grandpa!