The month of March always feels like the true start of the new season. The daffodils and crocuses have made an appearance, the birds have started to sing, the sun is warmer every day and there’s a grand stretch in the mornings and evenings. Finally, Spring is here!
As the cold grip of winter loosens its hold, it’s the perfect time to get outside and give your outdoor space a little TLC. As a general rule, winter can wreak havoc on your garden - damp, cold conditions can cause moss, lichen and grime to build up on paths, patios, decks and driveways, as well as the roof and your home’s precious paintwork.
A little extra legwork now will have you entertaining al fresco in no time - from barbecues soon with family and friends to unwinding with a good book and a glass of wine in the evening. The sooner you get started, the sooner you can get out there, in your favourite patio chair and let the warm breeze grace your face.
There’s nothing more satisfying than a successful garden clean. Experts agree that restoring the appearance of your outside spaces can enhance the kerb appeal of your property while ensuring your garden feels like an attractive welcoming place to spend time in.
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For ease and speed, a pressure washer is your best friend. It is powerful enough to make light work of the toughest cleaning jobs from delicate paintwork to stubborn patio grime. You can visibly see the difference and don’t have to resort to scrubbing anything by hand. Nobody wants to spend more time cleaning than they have to which is why the range of highly engineered pressure washers by German brand Kärcher is the preferred option of savvy homeowners.
With prices for the range starting from €109.99 there’s a device to suite every size of garden and budget. The Kärcher K 5 Power Control Car and Home, €529.99, has all the tech and add-ons in one device to do everything you need to spruce up your outdoor space, from gutters, paths, driveways to patios and exterior masonry walls. It can clean windows, both aluminum and PVC, shift dirt from garden furniture and, using a lower pressure setting, revitalise decking. The brilliant cleaning device also comes with an accessory kit including a T 5 patio cleaner and three-in-one detergent to help give large outdoor areas a deep scrub. This simple Saturday afternoon action can visibly transform the space by bringing more reflected light.
The same machine will make your vehicle look professionally cleaned. It comes with all the accessories and tools needed to power wash filthy tyres and gently remove mud from car paintwork.
Wexford-based digital creator Laura Cullen uses Kärcher’s super-efficient devices to keep her detached home spick and span. A busy mother to 14-year-old twin boys, Kyle and Killian, whose names form the compellation of the home and her Instagram handle, @kyllian_house, this is where she showcases her home’s self-build journey and her clever cleaning hacks. “Who said cleaning has to be stressful when you figure out a time-saving wonder,” she asks. “In the same way that you can’t beat a good vacuum cleaner for interiors, a pressure washer is an essential part of my outdoor cleaning kit.”
But it needs to be a good one, she says. “I’m not interested in buying something to use for just one season. I want to invest in a durable quality product.”
She spent last weekend using the Kärcher K 5 Power Control Car and Home to effortlessly spruce up the granite cobbles at the front of her house, transform the grime-covered porcelain tiled patio to the back and gave the car a squeaky clean wash.
It is also very satisfying, she says. “You know that feeling when you put off a household job for ages because you think it’s not going to be easy and that it’s going to take a while to get done? It is extremely easy to use, the app is full of handy tips and settings that I can flick between to move from one surface to another. "
She finds it best to start working from a low pressure setting and moving up as required. The model is sturdy and stable so it doesn’t fall over and the extendable handle means she avoids soaking her legs mid clean.
“What’s more, pressure washers use less water than garden hoses, so I feel I’m doing my bit for the environment.”
More compelling is the fact that it saves her a great deal of hard work, she says. “It only took me one good hour and my outside space was utterly spotless. It looks fresh and my car is gleaming.” While high-powered the K5 is very portable thanks to an extendable handle and a pair of wheels so she can run it in handily into the garage. When she’s done, the lance, trigger gun and hose pack neatly away into the device, making its storage even more compact.
House proud Cullen strongly feels that your outdoor living space, whether on your front porch or your back patio, is a reflection of you and of the inside of your home. “It’s important to me to have a clean and welcoming outdoor space to enjoy during the warmer months. Giving it some TLC now and carrying out some clever cleaning hacks will create a house exterior that’s fabulously fit for entertaining my family and friends. Come that bank holiday weekend, I’ll be able to sit back, relax and enjoy my updated outdoor.
To read more about the full range of Kärcher pressure washers visit karcher.ie