Greg discusses tips for cleaning your cabin in this episode of Ask The Expert. 800 CHAB radio presents Ask the Expert with Greg Marcyniuk of Heritage Insurance located in Moose Jaw.
Here's a full transcript of the episode.
Rob Carnie: Ask The Expert on the air today with Greg Marcyniuk from Heritage Insurance. We're practicing proper protocol here, social distancing, and doing Ask The Expert on the telephone today and looking forward to happier times today. Greg, we're talking about cabins. We're talking about the lake on Ask The Expert.
Greg Marcyniuk: That's right, Rob. Spring has sprung and it's time to clean the cabin. And I know a lot of us do dread that spring cleanup, but you know what? It doesn't take a lot of time to do the scrubbing and then you can do some hot tubbing.
So, what I do myself, I inspect the deck boards that you have out there — because bare feet on splintered decks are no fun at all. Just give her a quick wash and make sure they're good and clear and clean of any splinters.
The other thing then is clean your deck. I know most decks — if they're like mine during the summer — we do a lot of eating and cooking and you get a lot of areas that have those elements that are exposed to that. And it's just a recipe for moss, mold, and mildew. So, mix up some good cleaning to get her cleaned up with some bleach.
And the other thing is clean your outdoor furniture. I know no one wants to sit on any filthy, moldy outdoor furniture and I always clean the exterior of our place. Get rid of those cobwebs, bird droppings and remove any of the dirt and stains from mildew and mold there with a garden hose. Or you know, I use my pressure washer. I just don't have it on high pressure.
And the other thing when you're cleaning your windows, I have found rather than using some of that blue stuff and a cloth, I just mix some detergent and a bit of vinegar and scrub it and then use a squeegee. You don't see professionals using anything else but that, and it does a great job. The other thing you want to do is inspect your gutters and remove any debris that may have collected over the winter and make sure that you ensure your downspouts aren't clogged either.
And another good thing is inspect your roof. Just take a look and see if there are any damaged or missing shingles. And before you actually clean those gutters, make sure there's not a lot of asphalt down there. That'll show you there's some wear there. And any fallen branches around there, just clean that up and as well, I always take that time of year to set clean in and around your firepit. If there's any wood around there, trim it so it doesn't become a fire hazard.
And as well, you want to check your barbecue, make sure there are no cracks on the gas hose and just clean it up and get it ready. And when that's done, well, now you've got to deal with the inside. But I'd say, grab a drink and fire up the barbecue, enjoy the outdoor spaces — because you'll be isolated, and what a way to get away from the chaos.
Rob: Yeah. Hey, that's good advice for not just people who have cabins, but around the home and around the garage too. And something else we've talked about before on "Ask The Expert," the fact is a lot of people are wearing masks these days to protect against the Coronavirus, COVID-19. But we've also talked about the fact if there's any evidence of mouse droppings in the garage or around the house, you need to wear a mask when you're cleaning that up.
Greg: That's right. If you can get it, I would certainly recommend that because you don't want to have that hantavirus at all. So, great idea, Rob.
Rob: And these helpful tips are available online.
Greg: That's correct. You can reach out either via phone and we can email this off to you or go directly to our website.
(Video transcription by Speechpad)