The Nitty Gritty of Beach House Cleaning
Beachside living is about kicking back and enjoying your location. Here are some easy ways to ensure those beachside elements stay outside
Whether you live near the beach permanently or are just enjoying the perks of a coastal holiday house, a dip in the ocean or a walk along the sand are two of the greatest delights of any seaside stay. But it’s often quite hard to avoid bringing a little of the sand and salt back home with you, which presents challenges when it comes to home maintenance and cleaning. Here are a few simple solutions to help you keep your beach house sand- and salt-free.
Knock up some towel hooks
In a service room that you can access from outside, such as a laundry, create an area where you can corral used beach gear. Put up lots of hooks for wet towels and swimsuits, as well as somewhere to stow sandy footwear.
Buckets or plastic tubs are fantastic for throwing wet, sandy kit into, particularly for little ones. Teach them that if it’s wet and sandy, it goes in the plastic tub. Then, when they’re old enough or tall enough, they can hang up the wet gear themselves.
Another idea is to carry and keep buckets, spades and beach toys in mesh beach bags. Once you’re home from the beach, you can just wash the bag and its contents without having to empty them, then hang the lot on a hook to drain and dry.
TIP: We leave a basket by the door outside so that we can kick off our thongs on our way to rinse off.
Creative hanging storage ideas
In a service room that you can access from outside, such as a laundry, create an area where you can corral used beach gear. Put up lots of hooks for wet towels and swimsuits, as well as somewhere to stow sandy footwear.
Buckets or plastic tubs are fantastic for throwing wet, sandy kit into, particularly for little ones. Teach them that if it’s wet and sandy, it goes in the plastic tub. Then, when they’re old enough or tall enough, they can hang up the wet gear themselves.
Another idea is to carry and keep buckets, spades and beach toys in mesh beach bags. Once you’re home from the beach, you can just wash the bag and its contents without having to empty them, then hang the lot on a hook to drain and dry.
TIP: We leave a basket by the door outside so that we can kick off our thongs on our way to rinse off.
Creative hanging storage ideas
Keep wetsuits in shape
We’ve owned a lot of wetsuits, and as our kids haven’t stopped growing yet, we’ve upsized each season. As a result, I consider myself the queen of clean wetsuits. I always have a little smile to myself when I read their complicated care instructions, and the only thing more difficult than getting a wetsuit on is getting it off again.
This process can take some effort and involves a lot of tugging and stretching of the fabric. Once it’s on, it can withstand hours in the sun and surf. After all that exertion, a wetsuit can easily withstand being thrown into the washing machine on the rinse cycle, with a gentle spin to finish off. Hang clean wetsuits somewhere airy until they’re dry, and then store away in baskets or on hangers.
TIP: Again, in spite of care instructions, we’ve always hung our wetsuits on coat hangers, with no adverse results.
We’ve owned a lot of wetsuits, and as our kids haven’t stopped growing yet, we’ve upsized each season. As a result, I consider myself the queen of clean wetsuits. I always have a little smile to myself when I read their complicated care instructions, and the only thing more difficult than getting a wetsuit on is getting it off again.
This process can take some effort and involves a lot of tugging and stretching of the fabric. Once it’s on, it can withstand hours in the sun and surf. After all that exertion, a wetsuit can easily withstand being thrown into the washing machine on the rinse cycle, with a gentle spin to finish off. Hang clean wetsuits somewhere airy until they’re dry, and then store away in baskets or on hangers.
TIP: Again, in spite of care instructions, we’ve always hung our wetsuits on coat hangers, with no adverse results.
Hang it high, get it dry
I know we don’t like to talk about rain and the beach in the same sentence, but it does happen and when it rains for days, the wet stuff piles up. Enter the ceiling-mounted drying rack.
This Victorian-era idea is simply a rack suspended from the ceiling on a pulley system. Lower the rack to load it up with wet towels, swimwear, wetsuits and so on, then hoist it back up out of the way to dry. This is an old, novel and practical solution to modern problems like carbon footprints and energy costs.
TIP: Install one of these in the laundry and/or your board storage shed.
I know we don’t like to talk about rain and the beach in the same sentence, but it does happen and when it rains for days, the wet stuff piles up. Enter the ceiling-mounted drying rack.
This Victorian-era idea is simply a rack suspended from the ceiling on a pulley system. Lower the rack to load it up with wet towels, swimwear, wetsuits and so on, then hoist it back up out of the way to dry. This is an old, novel and practical solution to modern problems like carbon footprints and energy costs.
TIP: Install one of these in the laundry and/or your board storage shed.
Consider whether to carpet or not
Engineered hardwood, concrete, laminate or tiled floors are so much easier to keep clean than carpets. I say engineered hardwood as opposed to solid hardwood which, if used near the beach, will absorb the moisture and buckle over time.
Here’s the thing with floors in a beach house: you should choose what you’re willing to live with cleaning-wise. If you’re happy to get the vacuum cleaner out every day, then you could go with carpet, but do you really want the kids traipsing sand and dripping water over it? And even if you do choose carpet, will a vacuum cleaner really get all that sand out?
If you want to soften the floor under foot, add rugs. You can roll them up, take them outside and give them a good shake before vacuuming them. Or choose flooring that you can quickly sweep or run a mop over and vacuum once in a while.
TIP: The new microfibre dry mops are fantastic for quickly sweeping up sand and dust.
Engineered hardwood, concrete, laminate or tiled floors are so much easier to keep clean than carpets. I say engineered hardwood as opposed to solid hardwood which, if used near the beach, will absorb the moisture and buckle over time.
Here’s the thing with floors in a beach house: you should choose what you’re willing to live with cleaning-wise. If you’re happy to get the vacuum cleaner out every day, then you could go with carpet, but do you really want the kids traipsing sand and dripping water over it? And even if you do choose carpet, will a vacuum cleaner really get all that sand out?
If you want to soften the floor under foot, add rugs. You can roll them up, take them outside and give them a good shake before vacuuming them. Or choose flooring that you can quickly sweep or run a mop over and vacuum once in a while.
TIP: The new microfibre dry mops are fantastic for quickly sweeping up sand and dust.
Choose fantastic plastic
I love recycled plastic floor rugs, they are just perfect for a beach house. Made from recycled shopping bags and polypropylene, these rugs are durable and soft underfoot. They are perfect to have outdoors on a deck or in a kid’s bedroom as, despite all the preventative measures you’ve already taken, kids will still manage to find a way to track sand into their bedrooms, and these mats won’t trap it. To clean, just take them outside, give them a good shake, hose them down and dry them in the sun. Perfect!
Wet, sandy children like to plonk themselves down as soon as they get home. Offer them an alternative to indoor fabric sofas with outdoor synthetic wicker furniture; it’s attractive, beachy and hardy. Plus, cleaning is as simple as wet-wiping the furniture and then giving it a scrub with a soft brush and warm soapy water.
TIP: I find the the brush from a dustpan and brush set perfect for this job as the bristles are quite soft and won’t damage the surface.
I love recycled plastic floor rugs, they are just perfect for a beach house. Made from recycled shopping bags and polypropylene, these rugs are durable and soft underfoot. They are perfect to have outdoors on a deck or in a kid’s bedroom as, despite all the preventative measures you’ve already taken, kids will still manage to find a way to track sand into their bedrooms, and these mats won’t trap it. To clean, just take them outside, give them a good shake, hose them down and dry them in the sun. Perfect!
Wet, sandy children like to plonk themselves down as soon as they get home. Offer them an alternative to indoor fabric sofas with outdoor synthetic wicker furniture; it’s attractive, beachy and hardy. Plus, cleaning is as simple as wet-wiping the furniture and then giving it a scrub with a soft brush and warm soapy water.
TIP: I find the the brush from a dustpan and brush set perfect for this job as the bristles are quite soft and won’t damage the surface.
Keep timber shipshape
To keep timber furniture in great condition, clean it regularly. I use a stiff brush to remove any sand, dust or grime. Then I follow that with a wash using a soft rag and a combination of dishwashing liquid and bleach. If the furniture needs it, apply a sealer for more protection.
More on cleaning outdoor furniture
To keep timber furniture in great condition, clean it regularly. I use a stiff brush to remove any sand, dust or grime. Then I follow that with a wash using a soft rag and a combination of dishwashing liquid and bleach. If the furniture needs it, apply a sealer for more protection.
More on cleaning outdoor furniture
Clean and clear the view
The salt air presents a unique challenge in keeping windows and glass clean. For built-up salt scum, pour some full-strength white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray directly onto the window panes.
Leave the glass for a few minutes and then scrub with a plastic-bristle brush. Wipe down with a wet microfibre cloth for the inside of the windows and hose them down on the outside. I like to dry the windows off with crumpled pages from the local paper and then throw the paper into my compost bin.
TIP: Keep the build-up of salt on the outside of windows to a minimum by giving them a quick spray of the hose when you’re watering the garden.
Get windows spotlessly clean
The salt air presents a unique challenge in keeping windows and glass clean. For built-up salt scum, pour some full-strength white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray directly onto the window panes.
Leave the glass for a few minutes and then scrub with a plastic-bristle brush. Wipe down with a wet microfibre cloth for the inside of the windows and hose them down on the outside. I like to dry the windows off with crumpled pages from the local paper and then throw the paper into my compost bin.
TIP: Keep the build-up of salt on the outside of windows to a minimum by giving them a quick spray of the hose when you’re watering the garden.
Get windows spotlessly clean
Sweep the decks
We live on our deck in the warmer months, so I like to keep it nice and clean. A little tip I picked up from travelling in Asia is to always have one of those long-handled brushes for a regular quick sweep. The bristles are quite soft, so it’s perfect for dusting down furniture and quickly ridding the deck of sand residue.
You’ll find one these brooms in Asian grocery stores and they’re as cheap as chips. Or for a more intense clean, remove all the furniture and wash the deck with warm soapy water using a stiff broom, followed by rinsing the deck down with the hose.
We live on our deck in the warmer months, so I like to keep it nice and clean. A little tip I picked up from travelling in Asia is to always have one of those long-handled brushes for a regular quick sweep. The bristles are quite soft, so it’s perfect for dusting down furniture and quickly ridding the deck of sand residue.
You’ll find one these brooms in Asian grocery stores and they’re as cheap as chips. Or for a more intense clean, remove all the furniture and wash the deck with warm soapy water using a stiff broom, followed by rinsing the deck down with the hose.
Scrub the pavers
The very best way to clean pavers is with a Gerni. This is a high pressure ‘gun’ that attaches to the garden hose. They’re great for high-pressure cleaning and you can use them for the jobs that require a little more elbow grease, such as pavers or the exterior of a house.
TIP: Cars gather salt residue quickly, and with continued exposure this can be corrosive. Gerni’s are a great tool for rinsing down the car as well as the hard surface of your home.
The very best way to clean pavers is with a Gerni. This is a high pressure ‘gun’ that attaches to the garden hose. They’re great for high-pressure cleaning and you can use them for the jobs that require a little more elbow grease, such as pavers or the exterior of a house.
TIP: Cars gather salt residue quickly, and with continued exposure this can be corrosive. Gerni’s are a great tool for rinsing down the car as well as the hard surface of your home.
Ensure your safety
So many of our beach houses are also surrounded by bush, and many of our most iconic beaches are quite remote and reached via national parks or unsealed roads and tracks. As a result, it’s really important to make sure your house is bushfire ready.
Gutters filled with leaves are a fire hazard, so make clearing them the number one job for summer. There’s no way to do this other than getting up a ladder and clearing the gutters by hand. If you’re not confident standing on a ladder to do this, engage a professional, but make sure this job gets done.
10 ways to get bushfire-ready
So many of our beach houses are also surrounded by bush, and many of our most iconic beaches are quite remote and reached via national parks or unsealed roads and tracks. As a result, it’s really important to make sure your house is bushfire ready.
Gutters filled with leaves are a fire hazard, so make clearing them the number one job for summer. There’s no way to do this other than getting up a ladder and clearing the gutters by hand. If you’re not confident standing on a ladder to do this, engage a professional, but make sure this job gets done.
10 ways to get bushfire-ready
Let the sun dry the laundry
I love to hang my laundry on a clothesline to dry naturally instead of firing up the dryer. However, living close to the coast presents unique challenges. The sea and salt air can make your laundry feel a little damp and greasy even after it’s clean and dry. Install a clothesline in a sunny spot, protected from the coastal breeze, and utilise the power of natural light to dry your laundry.
You’ll not only reduce your carbon footprint, your clothing and linen will last longer too – and nothing beats the smell of laundry dried in the outdoors. Sunlight is also a natural antibacterial agent, and it gently bleaches to remove light stains on sheets and clothes.
TIP: If you need to lose the last remnants of damp on clothes and linen, finish them off in the dryer.
I love to hang my laundry on a clothesline to dry naturally instead of firing up the dryer. However, living close to the coast presents unique challenges. The sea and salt air can make your laundry feel a little damp and greasy even after it’s clean and dry. Install a clothesline in a sunny spot, protected from the coastal breeze, and utilise the power of natural light to dry your laundry.
You’ll not only reduce your carbon footprint, your clothing and linen will last longer too – and nothing beats the smell of laundry dried in the outdoors. Sunlight is also a natural antibacterial agent, and it gently bleaches to remove light stains on sheets and clothes.
TIP: If you need to lose the last remnants of damp on clothes and linen, finish them off in the dryer.
Store beach stuff in a shed
Surfboards need to be stored out of the sun and in a cooler part of your house, in order to prevent damage over time. If space is limited, think about overhead storage. We have some of our boards stacked on the trusses in the roof of our garage, as our other board rack is full. Always rinse your surf craft down after a day at the beach before you store it away.
If you’re lucky enough to have room for a purpose-built shed, make sure you have a water source nearby for rinsing. Shelves with baskets for flippers, snorkels, goggles and other smaller items are also a great idea, to help you keep everything together. We get the kids to throw everything into a big tub, which can then all be rinsed down and stored away, ready for the next trip to the beach.
TIP: Install a pegboard wall with hooks and pins for keeping surfing gear off the floor.
Surfboards need to be stored out of the sun and in a cooler part of your house, in order to prevent damage over time. If space is limited, think about overhead storage. We have some of our boards stacked on the trusses in the roof of our garage, as our other board rack is full. Always rinse your surf craft down after a day at the beach before you store it away.
If you’re lucky enough to have room for a purpose-built shed, make sure you have a water source nearby for rinsing. Shelves with baskets for flippers, snorkels, goggles and other smaller items are also a great idea, to help you keep everything together. We get the kids to throw everything into a big tub, which can then all be rinsed down and stored away, ready for the next trip to the beach.
TIP: Install a pegboard wall with hooks and pins for keeping surfing gear off the floor.
TELL US
How do you keep your home free of sand and salt after a day out at the beach? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
MORE
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Greening Your Home: The Best Natural Products to Clean Your House With
Quick-Smart Guide to Cleaning Your House in a Hurry
How do you keep your home free of sand and salt after a day out at the beach? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
MORE
Get Your House (and Family) Ready for a Summer Outing
Greening Your Home: The Best Natural Products to Clean Your House With
Quick-Smart Guide to Cleaning Your House in a Hurry
Place a doormat at every entrance to the house. This will mitigate some of the sand being tracked from the beach onto your nice clean floors.
TIP: Doormats have come a long way since the sad, old fraying coir mats of yesteryear; now there are so many designs to choose from. Pick coloured or printed versions, or get one custom-printed with your own welcome message.