4 Men 1 Lady

a lifestyle blog about the persuit of bringing beauty to a house full of men.

How to clean outdoor cushions and a $250. gift card giveaway.

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Remember this post I did about my patio makeover?  Do you also remember how dirty my cushions were?  A combination of kids muddy feet, the neighbors wandering cat and the outdoor elements really did a number on our outdoor furniture.  I tried spraying a cleaner, not really meant for cleaning upholstery, which worked, but it left a strong chemical smell.  So I decided to give it another go
(since my men had a popsicle party the day after my patio reveal and dripped melted mush all over the cushions…GAH!).

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Time to clean my patio all over again.  With the help of Bounty paper towels and a little cleaning concoction I put together of  1.5 tsp. dishwashing detergent soap and 1.5 tsp. Borax in 1 quart warm water.  I put my solution in an old, empty dish soap bottle.

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PicMonkey Collage

 First I doused (rather drenched) the entire cushion with my solution, then I let it sit for about 10 minutes.  For my tough stains I gave the spots a scrub to really work the solution in to the fibers.  If you just need to spot treat a small area you can also apply your solution, let it sit and blot with a Bounty paper towel to transfer the stain from the cushion to the towel.

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 After those steps my little helper and I sprayed the cushions with the hose and then let the cushions air dry.

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I know this sounds like a total sales pitch but I seriously love Bounty paper towels.  I’ve tried several brands and I always come back to Bounty.  I have to clean our sliding glass door that leads to our patio and yard  EVERY OTHER DAY.  Some paper towels fall apart and some leave those pesky little white fibers behind but Bounty does the job.

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Ahhh.  Patio clean once more.  Next time we’ll be eating popsicles on the grass. (Plumbing Pipe Table tutorial with supplies from The Home Depot).

Blank Doc for PicmonkeyNow’s your chance to get clean with the Bounty Paper Towels, P&G and The Home Depot ( #BountyChallenge).

Here’s how to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Procter & Gamble provided the prize for your consideration, as well as any prize provided as part of a contest.  I have been compensated to talk about this giveaway. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Comments

  7. I love your patio design. First I wish I had a covered patio. What I have now is a steadily rusting gazebo.

  11. I would do some serious cleaning around my home… I love cleaning, and this would help greatly.

  13. Plants! We’re building a patio + deck, and haven’t even started the landscape so I’m in serious need of greenery!

  14. I would purchase new chair pads and accessories for my screened porch…. although it needs a good scrubbing 🙂

  16. I would use the gift card to buy some flowers and then also some chairs for my patio!!

  17. If I won the $250 certificate, I’d likely use it toward 1 of the following projects: new laundry room, makeover front entrance way floor, or out it toward redoing our upstairs bathroom.

  27. I am doing a clean-up and clean-out of our house and making a list of what I want to do to each room. So I imagine I would spend a card on paint and organization supplies. I am dreaming big but have to keep price to a minimum since I have one in college now.

  28. Great Tips! I’d probably be helping out a family member who just bought a new home!

  32. I have all sorts of mystery stains on every piece of furniture I own. I’ll be giving this a try this week!

  33. I would purchase a new outdoor rug for our screened in porch so it could look half as nice as your patio redo!

  36. Woo hoo! I would use it on paint – we are hoping to redo the first floor of our home!

  37. Thank you for your tutorial on cleaning your cushions…look out outdoor cushions…you’re getting’ a bath today!!

  38. I would use it to buy plants and mulch for the flowerbeds along the front and back of my house.

  41. I would buy a new patio furniture set. I have been looking for more seating and a nice table.

  42. We are working on a whole house makeover so this could be used for many different things!!

  44. Tough choice – we need to paint, but I would love to update our 1950’s bath, too. Thanks!

  46. Ohhh we are building a deck soon, so perhaps supplies for that or new furniture for when it is done…. Or I could seriously use a new front screen door, it was not installed properly by the old owners and won’t stay shut!

  47. That is great to know! I just bought new cushions this year, now I can keep them around for awhile!

  49. I love your patio table and we are in the process of making one so I would use the use the gift card on things for the patio and backyard garden!

  51. We would buy new patio furniture. We just moved into a new house and desperately need a place to sit on the deck!

  52. I love your patio! I have a list going, so this is what I’d do with the Home Depot gift card:

    1. I’d first buy Rustoleum primer/paint for all my outdoor light fixtures and door hardware including doorbell and spray them new;
    2. I’d buy the meter for $12-$15 and fix the doorbell (LOL);
    3. I’d buy some gray paint and paint the front door and shutters;
    4. I’d buy the wood materials to make the Wood Shop Dude’s Saw Horses and attachments;
    5. I’d go back and buy more Rustoleum primer/paint black spray paint to spray the aluminum patio furniture;
    6. I’d buy black, heat-resistant paint and spray the outside of the fire pit;
    7. I’d buy (2) new hoses and a hose hanger or materials to create one;
    8. I’d buy the anchor screws to finally hang my (4) pallets to the block wall for my vertical pallet garden;
    9. I’d buy paint and primer for the (2) large pieces of furniture in my garage waiting for transformation!

    If there was any patio furniture spray paint or heat resistant spray paint left over, I’d paint the raised-bed garden light fixtures black. Lastly, If there was any money left on the card, I’d get some 3M picture hangers! Woo hoo!

  53. I seem to spend most weekends in home depot for home improvement projects but I know what this would go to – a new travel BBQ. We need a BBQ for camping as we usually borrow friends so it would be a great treat to own our own!

  58. I would spend it on a lighting fixture for my dining room and I would buy blinds for our guest bedroom!

  62. I’d buy cushions for our adirondack chairs on the patio and maybe a new fire pit, as ours has seen better days!!

  63. We really need to redo our 70s master bath so I would use the gc towards that remodel!

  64. I would buy some power tools that I have my eye on and then build some outdoor furniture!

  68. i’m loving all your patio upgrades! i think you’ve inspired me to think a bit harder about our deck (no patio), I’d spend the money on a few deck projects so that it is somewhere we’d like to go on a breezy evening! 🙂

  71. I would LOVE to get some wood to have my husband start building some built ins in our family room! Crossing my fingers:)

  73. Moving soon to new home….checked first to see that there was a Home Depot close AND there is.

  81. I’d buy some wood, pipe and stain. I want to make that table you have on your patio!

  85. I would use the $250 to buy outdoor decorations for my yard.

    seashell210 at gmail dot com

  86. I would use the $250 gift card for some upcoming projects: spray paint, paint for my front door and many other things.

  89. Ok… really? I have absolutely no idea what I would use it on. Maybe a new rug/s??? It would be a tough decision for sure…

  93. Love your back porch. While I want some comfy backyard furniture, I probably most need a new storm door…boring, huh?!?!?

  95. I would purchase paint for both of my daughters room, some plants for the yard, and a light fixture to hang above my garage.

  96. I would buy paint for my front door,a small porch light, boards to make a sign that holds pictures of my little boy,and last but not least whatever was left I would buy paint for the exterior of our little home.:)

  100. I would buy some outdoor furniture. We just built a pool finally (you know how important that is to survive AZ summers) so we can finally enjoy our backyard!

  101. blown insulation ive been thinking about that and i plan on doing that within the next few weeks and remolding a bedroom

  103. I need to refinish a dresser and build some furniture for the back porch so I would buy supplies for those projects!

  105. We have so many projects that need to start at Home Depot–first and foremost, a kitchen table! Then garden supplies, and the list keeps going!

  107. I need to get a new area rug for the home office or some light fixtures in my hallway…

  108. We have lots of work we need to do to our backyard. Patio, table, fire pit and landscaping. The Home Depot card would definitely make a dent in that.

  109. I would buy stuff to renovate our powder room (new tile flooring, materials to make storage for cleaning supplies, lighting, sink and vanity).

  112. I love your patio! My husband and I are working on plans for a longer version of your table right now. Where did you get those great poufs? Did you make them? I haven’t seen any with indoor/outdoor fabric.

  116. I would buy paint to spruce up our front porch! I’d like to paint my shutters and the aluminum flashing which is uber cruddy. Unfortunately power washing didn’t get it clean.

  117. I would love this gift card for Home Depot for bricks for my walk way out back. Somehow there’s a (DIRT!) path that’s been worn, and walk way bricks would make it a little bit less messy!

  118. we have a couple blinds in our home that need replacing. this HD gift card would really help us out!

  120. I would buy the paint sprayer I’ve had my eye on and I still have some left over!!

  121. I would use the giftcard towards the new house I’m buying! don’t know what I’ll need yet!

  122. I would finally get an outdoor rug and be able to softscape our outdoors. It would be wonderful!

  124. Love the select a sizE! I rarely need a big paper towel, one of the best inventions ever!

  125. With the Home Depot giftcard I could get great patio furniture — especially now that I have your tips for keeping the cushions clean!!

  127. Love your patio!! I would buy the supplies to build a big dining table for our patio, so we could have more than 4 people eating outside. 🙂

  128. I would like to spruce up my laundry room with some new paint and bead board with some hooks.

  131. I love the way you styled your patio! Mine has like, one potted plant on it. I would spend the gift card on glamorous drywall (we’re fixing up our basement).

  132. I bought a HUD home and the gift card could definitely put a dent in my extremely long list of repairs and reno wishes.

  135. I will be remodeling a small bathroom and I could really use that Home Depot gift card!

  136. I am working in my garden in LAS VEGAS of all places. I need to install a drip system so I don’t have to hand water. Home depot is where I go to buy 99% of my yard and home needs. I would love to win this giveaway. I love shopping at Home Depot – it is a place to ignite your imagination and creativity!

  139. What wouldn’t I buy!?! We need so much, new light fixtures, new doors and doorknobs, plants, tile.

  144. I would use this gift card to do the few little projects left in our home while we are showing it to sell. I love this home but it’s time to move to another part of town to be near work and I’d like to leave it in even better condition that when we moved in.

  146. I’d like to put it towards some patio furniture from Home Depot, right now we don’t have any and I’d love to get some before we have guests visit later this summer.

  157. Always something to buy at home Depot! We are in need of a new front door and this would go a long way!

  160. I’d use it on some tools and some wood for some projects we are working on!

Trackbacks

  2. […] We also planned out a few more projects to tackle in the next month or so but I’ll talk about those another day. For now, I want to give you guys a chance to win big! Everyone loves free money, right? Well, Michelle over at 4 Men 1 Lady has teamed up with Bounty and the Home Depot to giveaway a $250 Home Depot gift card. Click here to see how to enter to win! […]

It is nice to meet you!

Hey there! I’m Michelle; I’m an Passionate DIY’er and in constant pursuit of how to bring beauty to my house full of men (3 boys + 1 hubby). Stick around and see what I’ve got up my hard-working sleaves!

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