Affordable Fun Outdoor Games
Summer is here! If you are like most people, this is your time to spend time outdoors with family and friends. It is the season of picnics, barbecues, camping, days at the beach and vacations. Many of these events will be for the whole family to enjoy and that means at least a few people will be bringing along their kids. There are many fun outdoor games for kids to play that don't involve pricey toys. And by re-introducing some old school favorites you may encourage some nostalgic adults to take part in the fun outdoor games, too!
Even the littlest kids you know can take part in fun outdoor games like 'Duck, duck, goose' and 'Hide and go seek.' Both games require nothing but a little space to run around in. Older children will enjoy 'Tag' and 'Red Light, Green Light,' again, both of which require nothing other than a few people who are interested in playing them.
Sidewalk chalk can be bought at local hardware stores if you are looking for a cheap party favor that kids can enjoy at the party. There are plenty of fun outdoor games, such as hopscotch, kids can play with sidewalk chalk and a driveway or sidewalk on which to use them. If you have any medium sized ball that bounces, they can also play 'Four Square' with their chalk.
Keep Your Outdoor Cooking Equipment Clean
Your outdoor cooking equipment needs to be kept just as clean as it would be in your kitchen. Don't sacrifice cleanliness just because you are outdoors. With the variety of outdoor cooking equipment, you may not even be sure of how to properly clean your particular grill or other piece of outdoor equipment. However, there are some basic ways to clean your outdoor equipment and some things you can do to keep them clean right from the start.
A gas grill is a simple piece of outdoor cooking equipment to clean. Simply cover the cooking grid with tin foil and close the lid. Turn the heat up to the maximum setting for five to ten minutes. Let the grill cool down and use a wire bristled brush to scrap off any charred on food bits. Rinse it down with soapy water to finish the process. Also, rust can be cleaned off any piece of metal outdoor cooking equipment with a wire bristled brush and a little vegetable oil. Use the brush to flake off the rust and the oil to keep it from rusting more.
Vegetable oil can also be used to prevent food from sticking or burning to your outdoor cooking equipment. Coat the grill with vegetable oil (non-stick cooking spray works fine, too) before you heat the grill up. Remember to keep the can away from your outdoor cooking equipment once you heat it up.
Seasonal Cleaning of Your Outdoor Furniture Increases Its Value
You want to keep your outdoor furniture looking its best for guests and your own enjoyment, but it seems like it is hard to do with all the wear and tear your outdoor furniture gets thanks to the elements. Outdoor furniture can be kept in tip top shape by taking care of it twice a year.
In the fall, you should use a nylon brush of broom to scrap away any dirt, bird dropping, pollen, or clumps of food on your outdoor furniture. If you have metal outdoor furniture, this is a good time to coat all exposed metal with several coats of car wax. This will help prevent rust from forming or the metal dulling. Many people choose to put away their outdoor furniture in the fall, whether covering it with a heavy duty tarp or placing it inside a shed, garage or under a deck.
In the spring, you will want to give your outdoor furniture a good cleaning and repair. This is a good time to seal or paint any wooden furniture in order to keep it looking its best throughout the summer. All furniture should be hosed down possibly with a pressure washer set on low if the outdoor furniture has several stains or ground in grime. Aluminum furniture scratches easily, so it should only be washed with a soft cloth and with a specially-formulated aluminum cleaner. You can create your own by combining one part vinegar with two parts water.
Go Green with a Clothesline in Your Backyard
An umbrella clothes dryer or any clothesline, has many advantages over an electric dryer. People love the fresh, non-perfumed, smell of clothes that have dried in the sun. There are also many environmental reasons to add an umbrella clothes dryer to your backyard. Everyone knows that you save money and the environment by not using electricity to dry your clothes. More importantly, a clothesline keeps an estimated one thousand pounds of CO2 emissions from the air by using an umbrella clothes dryer half the time. If you live in a warm sunny locale, you could conceivably dry much more than just half your clothing outdoors and save even more!
An unexpected benefit of air drying clothes on a clothesline is that clothing lasts much longer and shrinks less when it is not exposed to the tumble and extreme temperatures of an electric dryer. Longer lasting clothes means you buy less products from the notoriously large polluters of the textile industry. If you want to keep you laundry private, a clothesline or umbrella clothes dryer can be placed in a garage, back porch or any extra room in your house for privacy.
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