El Paso, Texas (NAPSI) - Most hosts and hostesses agree that entertaining with ease in just the right setting starts with a clean space, indoors and out.

To help you achieve that and make the most of your time, energy and money, here are seven tips and tricks to help you tackle the toughest jobs quickly and efficiently.

Hints To Help You

1. Fresh facade: Wash the outside of the home. If you have any mildew, consider a pressure washer to make the chore easier. See if the trim needs extra cleaning or even repainting.

2. Wash the windows—inside and out: Do so on a cloudy day to avoid streaks. Get any sliding glass patio doors, as well (and consider taking an old toothbrush and top-quality cleaning solution to the inside of the track).

3. Clean and repair gutters and downspouts: Remove last year’s dead leaves, twigs and so on. Make sure there are no clogs that can cause a leak or an overflow.

4. Police your lawn: Pick up any branches, leaf piles, broken toys and the like so guests can walk freely—and safely.

5. Get the grill: Before you bring out the burgers, give your grill a good scrubbing to be sure cooked-on food particles, rust and general grime are gone. Remember to clean the inside of the grill, too.

6. Swab the decks: Wiping down grimy, greasy outdoor surfaces and furniture is critical before guests arrive. Touch up any chips on painted outdoor furniture. To help make it all bright and sparkling, try a multipurpose cleaning spray that’s specifically formulated for outdoor use such as Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro Multi-Purpose Spray. It cuts through grease and grime on grills, patio furniture, vinyl siding and even concrete patio floors. Simply let the solution set for several minutes after you spray. Then, you can easily scrub away the tough outdoor dirt, so you spend less time cleaning, more time relaxing.

7. Clean the crevices: From last year’s leftover food particles in the small grooves of the patio table to the tiny gaps on the kids’ swing set that always attract sticky spills, outdoor items are full of small spaces that can be a nightmare to clean. Mr. Clean also offers the Magic Eraser Outdoor Pro, which can help lift away tough grime with water alone, even in hard-to-reach spaces, with water-activated microscrubbers that reach into surface grooves, making cleaning a breeze.

Learn More

You can find further facts and tips online at www.mrclean.com.