A well-loved playset provides your family with hours of entertainment, but after daily use and being out in the elements, it can start to look dingy. No one wants an eyesore in their backyard, but luckily the solution is simple. Playsets can be cleaned and restored to look as good as new.
So, how do you clean an outdoor playset? There are two commonly used methods to clean outdoor playsets: the scrubbing method and the pressure washer method. Pressure washing is generally faster and easier when the playset is heavily soiled.
Bringing your playset back to its former glory is not complicated, but it will require some good, old-fashioned elbow grease. Continue reading to find out how exactly to get the job done.
Related: How Long Does A Wooden Playset Last?
Method 1: Scrubbing
Scrubbing the playset with a gentle soap and a soft-bristled scrub brush is a convenient and easy way to clean a playset yearly. It doesn’t require any fancy equipment, just a good amount of elbow grease.
Most of the items you need to clean your playset, you probably already have sitting around your home.
Here is what you’ll need:
- Soft bristled scrub brush with a long handle
- A large bucket of water
- Dish soap
- Hose with a high-pressure attachment
- Stain and/or sealant (optional)
- Tools for taking off accessories or hardware (optional)
- Step stool or ladder (optional)
- Sandpaper (optional)
Step-by-Step Guide to Washing Your Playset
- Inspect the playset for insect nests, rot, and damage. If there is a bee’s nest in the playset, you will want to know about it before you slather it in soap bubbles.
- Starting from the top, clean out any cobwebs or debris. Brush off any dirt that will easily come off with a dry brush.
- If you want to deep clean the playset, take off any accessories to be soaked and scrubbed separately. Also, remove any rusty hardware that you want to replace and save it to bring to the hardware store with you.
- Fill your bucket about half full of water and dump in enough dish soap that the water gets good and soapy. This will be about a ¼ cup of dish soap per 2 gallons of water, but exact measurements are not necessary.
- Scrub the boards going with the grain using the scrub brush. Start from the top of the playset and work your way down. You may need to use a ladder if you want to clean the rooftop. If you have a canopy roof, remove it and wash it on the ground.
- Rinse off the soap using a hose. Once again, start from the top so that the dirty soapy water runs down and gets washed away as you work
- Inspect the playset to see if there are any dirty spots that could use a second scrubbing.
- Soak and scrub the plastic accessories that you removed.
- A magic eraser can help remove stubborn dirt on plastic accessories.
- After the playset is dry, you can use sandpaper to smooth away any rough spots and stain and/or apply a sealant to the wood. This will extend the life of your playset and make it look great.
- Reattach any accessories that you removed.
- Allow the playset to dry before you allow your children to play with it.
Method 2: Pressure Washing
If your playset has not been cleaned in some time, you may need some assistance to clean away all the built up dirt and mildew.
A pressure washer is a very effective cleaning tool for playsets. In addition, if you like using natural cleaning methods, a pressure washer can help bolster the cleaning power of gentler soaps.
When cleaning a wooden playset with a pressure washer, it is important that you do not use the pressure washer on its strongest settings as it can cause damage to the wood.
Start washing with the lightest setting and work your way up. Also, keep the sprayer moving to avoid causing gauges in the wood.
Safety Note
Pressure washers can be dangerous. Never point the sprayer at yourself or another person. Wear pants, shoes that protect the feet, and goggles when using a pressure washer.
Here is what you’ll need:
- Pressure washer
- Hose
- Goggles
- Large bucket
- Dish soap
- Soft bristled scrub brush with a long handle
- Sandpaper (optional)
- Stain and/or sealant (optional)
- Tools for taking off accessories or hardware (optional)
- Step stool or ladder (optional)
Step-by-Step Guide to Washing Your Playset with a Pressure Washer
- Just like in the previous method, you should inspect the playset carefully for insects’ nests or damage.
- Clean out any cobwebs, debris, or loose dirt.
- Remove any accessories and hardware you want to replace or wash separately.
- Rent a pressure washer or purchase one if you plan to have need of one frequently. It typically costs less than $100 per day to rent a pressure washer.
- Check the instruction manual for the specifics on how your particular pressure washer works.
- Fill your bucket about halfway with water and mix in dish soap.
- You don’t need to scrub the playset, but you do need to coat the playset in soap. Some pressure washers have a soap spraying attachment to accomplish this, but many do not. You should start from the top and slather the whole thing with the soap and water mixture.
- Allow the soap to sit on the playset for about 10 minutes.
- Use the pressure washer to blast away the soap and the dirt. Use the lowest setting that will get the dirt to come off. Keep the wand moving and start from the top.
- If there are any stubborn stains on the plastic pieces, you can use a magic eraser to remove them.
- Soak and scrub any of the accessories you removed.
- Once the playset completely dries, you can sand any rough spots and stain it and apply a sealant.
- If you remove any accessories or hardware, you can reattach them now.
- Allow the playset to dry before you allow your kids to play on it.
Vinyl Clad, Metal, and Plastic Playsets
In order to clean a vinyl clad, metal or plastic playset, you would follow the same methods as described above. These surfaces are generally easier to clean than wood.
A pressure washer probably isn’t necessary because dirt does not stick to these surfaces the way it can stick to wood. In addition, they are very durable and do not tend to mildew or mold as easily as wood.
How to Restore a Slide’s Slip
Over time, a playset slide could lose its slipperiness. If this happens to your slide the solution is simple. Here is how you do it:
- Wash the slide with the same water and dish soap mixture that you used to clean the rest of the playset.
- Rinse away the soap.
- Allow the slide to dry completely.
- Rub the slide down with wax paper. The wax will transfer to the slide’s surface and restore its slipperiness. The wax on wax paper is food safe and will not harm your children.
How Often Do You Need to Clean the Playset?
Your playset should be cleaned at least once a year before you reseal it. Many manufacturers require yearly sealing in order to maintain the warranty anyway.
If your kids use their playset as much as most kids do, it may need some regular spot cleaning. You can use a gentle cleaning to wipe away any spills or dirt buildup in between deep cleanings.