How To Clean Your Condo Balcony

Posted Tuesday, October 11th, 2022

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Do you ever head out to your balcony only to find that there’s bird poop, dust and all sorts of other things you’d rather not deal with? We get it. Cleaning your condo balcony is probably the last thing you want to do. But with a few quick tips and this step-by-step guide, we’ll teach you how to clean your condo balcony so you can sit back and enjoy a good book or the company of friends in no time.

Preparing Your Condo Balcony

Before you can get started on cleaning your condo balcony, there’s a few things you’ll need to do to prepare:

Clear Out What You Can

Your first step towards a spotless condo balcony floor requires temporarily removing the items that make your outdoor space a personal paradise. If you’re like a lot of people, this means you probably have quite a few things to clear out. Bring whatever smaller things you can inside, and for more cumbersome items like a BBQ, patio furniture and tables, consider moving these larger items to one side, cleaning half the balcony at a time.

If you have an area rug, bring it in, too. Spend a couple minutes beforehand giving it a good sweep or vacuum to get off the dust and debris. Depending on the style of rug, you may be able to toss it in the washer so it’s also clean and ready to go the next time you enjoy your outdoor living space.

Give Everything A Preliminary Wipe Down

As you move your furnishings from your condo balcony, we suggest taking a damp microfibre towel to each item and carefully removing any dust and debris from potted plants, furniture legs, tables and any other outdoor items. This process not only protects the interior of your condo from dirt and debris, it also ensures a clean start when it comes time to redecorate your condo balcony.

Sweep Up Loose Debris

Now that you have a clear surface, free of any removable furnishings, it’s time for a thorough sweep. With broom in hand, begin sweeping from the top of your balcony down to the edge, careful to not let any debris go off the side. If you have Condo Kandy flooring installed, use a putty knife to dislodge debris as you sweep.

A good rule of thumb is to sweep down from the walls, to create a pile in the centre of your balcony. Make sure to dump any refuse in a garbage bag rather than sweeping it off the confines of your balcony, as the latter could result in fines from your condo board. Don’t worry about mopping or deep cleaning your balcony floor at this stage, we’ll get to that part later. Before you sweep, and while you have the broom out, this is also a good time to clear out any cobwebs that might be hiding in corners.

Start Cleaning

Once you have taken care of clearing out your balcony and are ready to get cleaning, it’s always a good idea to start at the top.

No Hose, No Problem

A common question we hear is, how can you clean a balcony without a hose? All you really need is a mop, a good-sized bucket of hot, soapy water and a spray bottle with a vinegar/water blend to tackle most problems. You can even add a few drops of essential oils to your spray bottle if you’re looking for a citrus smell as you clean. Any standard all-purpose cleaner at your local store will also work great.

Cleaning Your Patio Furniture

Determining how to clean your patio furniture depends on the type of furnishing you own.

Plastic Patio Furniture

If it’s plastic, avoid using abrasive materials which can scratch and wreck the surface over time. Simply use your choice of cleaner mentioned above and give everything a wipe with a damp sponge or cloth.

Metal Furniture

Metal is a popular condo balcony furniture material due to its classic look and its weight. The last thing you want is furniture that flies off the balcony in a windstorm. Your bucket of hot, soapy water will quickly bring it back to life. While cleaning, also check for any rust. In most cases this can be dealt with using steel wool and a clear coat paint touch up.

Wood Patio Furniture

Because you already gave everything a wipe with that microfibre cloth earlier, your wood patio furniture is halfway to clean. Using a damp cloth and that bucket of soapy water we mentioned earlier, give everything a thorough wipe down. Once that’s complete, take a dry microfibre or lint-free cloth and use it to soak up excess water. All that’s left is to let it dry.

How To Clean Bird Poop Off Your Balcony

Birds. They are the bane of a homeowner’s existence, whether you’re in a two-storey home or a 25-storey high rise. How to clean bird poop off your balcony is a common request. Thankfully, we have a few ways you can deal with the unsightly mess.

Beware Disease

When cleaning bird poop from your condo balcony, always take the necessary precautions. Bird feces has pathogens that are harmful if ingested. Not only that, but birds can carry over 60 kinds of diseases, including E. Coli and Salmonellosis. When getting ready to tackle the mess, make sure to wear gloves and a mask.

Scrape It Off & Grab Your Dish Soap

Cleaning bird poop can be tricky. Start by scraping it off with a plastic scraper that you can throw away when you’re done. Once all the dry areas have been scrapped off, take some dish soap and cover the area. Give it a few minutes and then, using a brush with stiff bristle, scrub it off.

The type of brush you use here will depend on your flooring. For this article’s purpose, we’re referring to cleaning bird poop off a concrete balcony floor. Once you’ve given all impacted areas a good scrub, soak them with water before grabbing a paper towel to sop up the mess.

It’s Time To Clean Your Balcony Floor

Your condo balcony floor is one of the last items on this list for a few reasons. First off, the dust you cleaned off everywhere else needs a place to settle. Second reason is you obviously don’t want to walk on it once you mop. The right way to clean your balcony floor depends on the material you need to work with. For the most part, common cleaning supplies will tackle any mess.

A good mop will take care of most messes, especially if your condo balcony floor has a smooth surface like wood or tile. If it has a rough surface, like concrete, consider investing in a good scrub brush.

With Kandy outdoor flooring, cleaning your balcony floor is simple, just sweep or vacuum up loose debris. Then use a push broom and begin to gently scrub your cleaning solution of choice into the surface. For tougher stains, you may need to get low and gently hand wash it away with a nylon brush, careful not to scratch the flooring. Once you’re satisfied with how your floor looks, give it a rinse and let it completely dry.

Windows For Last

If this is your first time cleaning your condo balcony, you’ll quickly realize that you’ve shifted a lot of dirt, dust and debris around. For this reason, cleaning your windows is best when everything settles. This way you can have a sparkly clean view of the world and don’t need to worry about everything you kicked up landing on it again. A great eco-friendly cleaner and a dry cloth or paper towel is all you need.

Save Time By Setting A Routine

Cleaning your condo balcony takes time and we know that, as a society, time is something a lot of us are short on. By setting a routine you can save yourself from regularly diving into a deep clean. Here are some tips on how to keep things looking great without putting in all the work:

Create a regular routine. This can work both inside and outside your condo. If you don’t have one already, create a list of household chores and add your balcony cleaning to the list. If Wednesday is when you sweep the floors inside, add your balcony for that day, too.
Make the most of the space. Clutter can be killer. Rather than using your balcony and storage, or letting things build up on parts of it, look into a simple storage solution. Just make sure it adheres to your municipalities guidelines and won’t be able to get loose or blow away if a crazy windstorm suddenly picks up.
Change the way you garden. We get it, looking at a potted plant can bring a chill vibe to the air, but it also adds something that you or a guest can knock over, spilling dirt everywhere. Instead of smaller potted plants, check out alternatives like planter boxes that (safely) hang on the inside of the balcony railing. Another option, depending on your space, is a raised garden bed.

Last Words Of Wisdom

Now that you know all the ways to keep your balcony looking great, we have one final tip for you – consider Condo Kandy flooring. You can save the hassle of scrubbing your balcony floors when you have our virtually maintenance-free balcony flooring installed. All you have to do is pick the colour you want, have it installed and then give it a sweep or mop once in a while. That’s it.

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