Gone are the days when we only have to clean our balconies with buckets of water and detergent.
Our secret weapon? Today, we can easily make use of automated solutions like electric vacuum cleaners, which will help us with the task of cleaning up after a big barbecue on your balcony.
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Whether you’re looking for affordable options or boutique products, this list will give you plenty of ideas for getting things done without needing to resort to buckets and mops.
- Vacuum
- Broom
- Old towel cloth
- Wax paper
- Aluminum foil
- Soft scrubber pad
- Scrub brush
- Paint brush
With these waterless, environmentally-friendly cleaning products, taking care of your outdoor living space is easier than ever before!
You won’t have to worry about damage to your precious hardwood floors or tiles.
In this article, you’ll find out how to clean a balcony floor without using a hose.
Table of Contents
1. Vacuum
Freshening your balcony with a vacuum cleaning machine is one of the easiest ways to keep it looking its best.
Vacuums are designed to suck up dust, dirt, droppings, hair, pet fur, and other debris.
Related: Can Cats Get Fleas From a Balcony? How to Keep Them Away
Brooms aren’t.
So when you use a vacuum cleaner, you’re not only getting better results, you’re also saving money because you won’t need to buy replacement brooms every month.
To remove these particles, you need to use a powerful vacuum cleaner.
The best vacuums are those that have HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filtration systems. These systems trap 99% of airborne particles, including allergens, mold spores, pet dander, bacteria, viruses, and pollen.
How often should you vacuum your floors?
If you live in an apartment or condo building in a low-traffic area, then you can probably get away with doing this once every two weeks.
However, if you live in a high-traffic area, such as a busy city street, a college campus or near a school, you’ll want to do it more frequently.
In fact, most experts recommend vacuuming at least twice a week.
You can also vacuum your apartment balcony regularly.
2. Broom
Lets face it, not all of us like cleaning a dirty balcony concrete floor with a mop and bucket of dirty water.
Polyguard recommends a slope of 2% to allow water to drain off.
But there’s another way to clean your balcony floor without using water or a garden hose.
A broom!
When you sweep your balcony floor, you’re actually removing loose dirt and debris.
This means that you don’t need to scrub your balcony floor with soapy water. And it’s much less labor intensive than a mop.
Instead, just sweep the dirt into a pile on the ground and scoop it back into the trash bin.
Make sure that you don’t use too much pressure on your broom.
Of course, you’ll still need to wash your balcony floor periodically and wipe down any furniture, accessories and fixtures.
3. Old towel or dusting cloth
Rack your brain and you would most definitely think of getting a bucket to use as a mop.
It is not always practical.
So if you’re cleaning a balcony floor, use an old towel or a dusting cloth instead of a wet rag. The reason is simple: Wet rags leave behind residue that attracts dirt and grime.
This method is great because it doesn’t require any cleaning chemicals, and it won’t damage your balcony floor.
Plus, it’s cheaper than hiring a professional cleaner or purchasing cleaning tool and equipment like a power washer or steam cleaner.
Using dry cloth fabric will help prevent the buildup of mildew and mold because they absorb moisture from the floor.
And since there’s no water involved, you won’t have to worry about making your balcony slippery.
4. Wax paper
Dealing with dirty balcony floors isn’t easy.
There are many different methods for cleaning them, but some of them are not perfect while others may not be readily available to you.
That said, wax paper is a good alternative to a damp cloth or sponge.
Wax paper is made from cellulose fibers, paraffin, soybean or beeswax. It’s lightweight and durable, which makes it perfect for cleaning your balcony floor.
Simply place a piece of wax paper on the end of flat-head mop handle. This is going to replace and act like the microfiber dust cloth attached to the mop.
To avoid scratching your balcony floor, simply press lightly on the wax paper.
Once done, simply peel off the wax paper and throw it away.
5. Aluminum foil
Leverage the power of aluminum foil to scrub and clean a balcony floor without getting your hands wet.
Aluminum foil is one of those household items that we never really know what to do with.
The thing is, you wouldn’t normally use aluminum foil for cleaning purposes.
However, when it comes to cleaning a balcony floor, it’s amazing how effective it can be.
All you need to do is remove the adhesive backing from the foil. Then, scrunch or crumple the foil into a ball and rub it against your balcony floor or metal surfaces like railing, window frames, etc.
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If you’re worried about damaging your balcony floor, then you should only apply light pressure.
The aluminum foil will pick up dirt and grime in seconds.
Afterward, simply discard the used aluminum foil and repeat this process until the balcony floor looks clean again.
6. Soft scrubber pad
Picking up debris from a balcony floor is easier said than done.
You might even find yourself using a vacuum cleaner just to get rid of a small amount of debris.
But why bother when you can use an easy to handle, lightweight option?
Instead of using a vacuum cleaner, try using a soft scrubber pad.
As it turns out, a standard scouring pad is just as effective.
A soft scrubber pad is basically a small sponge that’s designed specifically for cleaning hard surfaces such as tile, stone, concrete, wood, etc.
Although it’s used for most kitchen tasks, dishwashing and bathroom cleaning, soft scrubbers are also ideal for drainage, windows, shower doors, and other similar areas.
It has a unique design that allows it to easily pick up loose debris and soil from a balcony floor.
Just make sure that you don’t overuse it because it could scratch your balcony floor.
In addition, you’ll also want to make sure that you keep it clean so that it stays in top shape.
7. Scrub brush
Houses with large balconies always attract birds, rodents, and all sorts of other critters.
In order to keep your balcony clean and safe, one has to not only be able to clean the exterior of the building but also sweep up bird droppings, dirt and grime from the balcony.
If for whatever reason you cannot keep a broom nearby for this task, you can use a scrub brush to clean your balcony floor without water.
This tool is designed to help you clean your balcony while protecting it at the same time.
Unlike traditional brushes that have short bristles, scrub brushes come with long ones.
These longer bristles allow them to reach deep inside drains, cracks and crevices that a regular brush won’t be able to access.
Mud or any sort of plants or greenery like that is too thick for the scrub brush to pass through. Therefore, you will have to remove those things first and then use the scrub brush to clean the remaining dirt.
8. Paint brush
Frequent rainfalls, extreme temperature changes, and other weather conditions can cause paint on your house’s walls to peel off.
The result is unsightly stains on the wall, an unpleasant odor and a thick, pelting, sticky residue on the floor.
A scraper or a putty knife is usually used to scrape these stains off the surface of the wall and floor.
But in case you’re worried about being unable to reach places like corners, paint brushes can give you a hand in this regard.
The best thing about using a paintbrush is that it allows you to get into small nooks, crannies and crevices where you would otherwise struggle to reach with a putty knife.
You just need to make sure that the bristles are soft enough so that they do not damage the surface of the balcony wall when cleaning.
You can even use a paint brush to apply paint directly onto the wall if you want to.
To get rid of the stubborn stains, you can use a paint brush to apply some paint thinner onto the affected area.
Afterward, let the paint dry completely before applying another coat of paint.
Ditch chemical-based cleaning products!
You don’t need to spend hours scrubbing away at your balcony floor with harsh chemicals or bleach solution to keep it clean and avoid damaging potted plants.
There are plenty of products available that can help you achieve the same effect without having to use gallons upon gallons of water.
Whether you live in a condo or a single-family home, keeping your balcony clean should be a top priority.
It helps protect your property against damages caused by pests and vermin as well as makes your living space more attractive.
All you need to do is pick one of these products and follow the instructions carefully.
Once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll be able to clean your balcony floor quickly and easily, without ever needing to worry about wasting water.
Remember that no matter which method you choose, you must take care of the environment as well as yourself while doing the work.
Also, remember that baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice are all natural cleaners that can be used safely around children and pets.
They are inexpensive, easy to find and effective.
