The hardest part about being a blogger is opening yourself up and exposing your darkest secrets. A while back, I opened my heart to you guys and revealed the redneck within. It wasn’t easy, and I’m still emotionally drained just thinking about it, but sometimes the healing doesn’t come until the words can flow…
Sometimes you just need to tell people about how the giant red and blue plastic toys you swore would never take over your yard, have now bred, and their offspring continue to breed, and now your whole backyard looks like a daycare playground and/or redneck swimming mecca.
Thank you for listening.
But I want you to know that I’m growing, and changing. Sure, we still have the plastic toys. (We have more now.) And we still have the above-ground pool. (We upgraded this year and it’s even bigger.) But I’ve been carefully removing the grodiness that built up on those toys over the winter, and that counts for something.
Doesn’t it?
IT NEEDS TO.
For example. This is our DIY playground. That swing on the left, the purple one? Came from a yard sale a few years ago, when Weston was a baby. It was $3. (GEEZ. I wish I could empty my brain of these useless details I seem to remember forEVER, like how much every single thing cost in my whole house. I bet I could conquer the world.)
Anyway, we washed it when we got it but over time, it’s built up some grossness. I mean, for real. We haven’t let Mila swing yet this year because of this nasty mess. Her tiny princess bum just deserves better.
Procter & Gamble and The Home Depot set me up with these sweet backyard cleaning supplies, and I couldn’t wait to try them out on that gross little swing.
This stuff is made for outdoor cleaning, so it works great for outdoor grills, siding, lawn furniture, LOADS OF PLASTIC TOYS… *ahem.*
First, I hosed it off with LOTS of water pressure. I was actually really curious to test if the products would work, and I didn’t want the swing to just look cleaner because we were finally getting around to washing it with plain water. The water helped a ton, but not enough. Our little girl has the CUTEST BUTT. She needs a perfect place to put it. Don’t question it.
So I sprayed on the Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro and let it sit for a bit, then cleaned it off with the Bounty paper towels. And I heard ANGELS SINGING! My paper towel turned black. It was disgusting/awesome.
YEAHHHHH MAN.
Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro SCRUBS THE REDNECK AWAY!*
*This statement has not been validated by any actual authority. But I just need to believe it’s true, okay?
I played with the magic eraser too. You know how they’re super-addicting when you use them inside because they wipe away All The Things? SAME DEAL with the outdoor version! I wanted to clean EVERYTHING. The kids started to get scared that they were next! Muahahaha!!
In the end, we were all pretty thrilled with how well everything spiffed right up! We are so classy now guys, it’s official. Plus, Mila was pretty thrilled that her beautiful cuddly baby butt had a clean, fun place to sit!
*Mama heart melt.*
Hey, I have a fun idea! Let’s give away a $50 gift card to The Home Depot AND a set of these outdoor cleaning supplies (courtesy of Procter & Gamble and The Home Depot)!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hi, I'm Kelly. Glad you're here! This little blog is where I chronicle our efforts to fix up our beaten-down home on a tiny budget. We're not there yet, but here's a peek at the view along the way...
I would love to clean up all of my outdoor furniture! Thanks for the great giveaway!
My kids love their plastic toys too!
I need to buy paint! My grand daughter has a ton of plastic toys, and a huge inflatable water slide in the backyard!!!
I am cleaning my deck this week-end and refinishing my wrought iron outdoor furniture. I could use this for cleaning supplies and paint!!!!
There are so many things I could spend the $50 on, but I would love some new summer plants for my patio or a can of paint to re-paint my master bathroom!!
LOL, you always make me smile! Don’t erase me!!! Love it! That first cleaning outdoors is always a doozy?? <<<did I spell that right?? Anyways, love the post, super cute. You made cleaning look fun! xo Kristin
Alas, I too have the multiplying plastic toy problem. I have no garage to store them in so they are always strewn about the yard. My beautiful, wonderful in-laws seem to think that buying my 2 rug rats is a great way to show their affection.
Hi my name is Jenn and I’ve got a redneck back yard too!
I agree with Kristin, you made outdoor chores look like fun!….Hmmm how would I use the cleaning supplies? I’d have to say probably on the doors….a lot of my outdoor stuff is rusted…on purpose. LOL so if I erased it, I’d be screwed! LOL
We would probably buy a couple of lawn chairs.
I would buy one of those outdoor storage bins for all the toys!
Thanks for the giveaway! We are planting fools around here so I’m sure we would use it on that or spray paint…..I really like spray paint!
I love this! I would totally use it to calm down our redneckedness too. Spruce up the patio, scrub our siding…you know, just NOT terrify the neighbors anymore. 🙂
Wow! Great stuff! Never heard of it before.
I would hand the supplies over to the Mr and tell him to get busy!!!! Then, I would spend the $50 on something for the house, for me…..
If I won the gift card, our patio could use some serious sprucing… I’d love to invest in some hanging plants, other gardening stuff, and do some cleaning on our furniture out there!
I need to HAVE a cluttered backyard before it can get nasty and need to be cleaned! I sure wouldn’t mind having $50 to put toward buying the supplies to build my son a outdoor play area/jungle gym. Then when it gets nastified, I can use those products too. 😉
I thought my yard was the only one breeding the plastic toys! Swing looks great and so does the princess.
I’d love some help with all the spring cleaning I need to do…er summer cleaning now I guess 🙂
Thanks for the great post! I think $50 would go a long way towards feeding the DIY beast…he is a ravenous fellow!
Thanks for the giveaway, I’ve got lots of things I can clean on my patio and would love the gift card! God bless you!
We are doing a little backyard update and the cleaning products would be a great first step. Thanks for sharing your ideas!
Thanks for the giveaway!
I seriously LOVE those magic erasers! They truly do the job. I have plenty of outdoor clean-up to take care of due to all this rain we’ve been receiving here in the midwest. If and when it stops raining I’m planning to create a patio area. I would put the gift card toward supplies needed to create my outdoor oasis! 😉
I LOVE the magic erasers! I went out and looked at the baby swing at my grandkids house and cheez, it was disgusting. I also can’t put my sweet precious granddaughters cute little butt in that swing. I’ll be taking my magic eraser with me on Thurday. Her parents would die to see what has appeared after our hard winter.
I’d use it towards new outdoor lights. Our are looking pretty bad.
I would spend my $50 gift card on travel expenses to meet Mr. Clean. I think he’s hot.
Bliss
So many things I could spend it on! Home Depot and Lowe’s love us right now for the crazy amount of merchandise we have been buying this spring!! There are still many things on my wish list, so this gift card would be great!
Does it clean dogs? If not, I am sure we could clean the all of the kid’s junk that is breeding in our backyard. And I could buy more plants because that is my secret addiction…even though it is not really a secret!
I would buy paint!
love your blog and love those little sponges. i havent tried them on my patio furniture…but it needs it.
thanks
I recently bought a house (my first house)! It’s in pretty good shape overall, but naturally, I have a bazillion ideas to help improve it. Now that it’s warm out, I can focus on the outside; these cleaning supplies would really help with that!
So glad Mila’s cute little princess butt has somewhere clean to sit now! I could definitely use some Redneck-be-Gone around here too….
I would use the moola to buy some pretty fixtures for my outdated knotty pine cabinets which will be painted using some fabulous tips from this addicting blog.
I love the Magic Eraser!
I used to say the same thing! No way am I gonna have 500 plastic bulky toy things out in my yard like horrible yard gnomes ! hahaha….Two kids later, and 10 plastic toys down….I need to find me this cleaning stuff.. LOL
I’d spend the gift card on lumber to build shelves in one of our closets.
Cleaning is so rewarding when you take an icky something and make it shine. I’ve got lots of ickiness to clean and those supplies would make it oh so much easier. Thanks!
Love Magic eraser, will have to check out the other cleaners. 🙂
Oh goodness, there are so many things I could use it for! Perhaps towards a drill? Or supplies for an upcoming project??
I think the Magic Eraser is definitely a staple in our house! I ditto the question, can it work on dogs too?! Please?
I love the magic erasers! When I have one in my hand, the possibilities are endless. I walk around like you looking at stuff that needs to be magically erased. Nothing is out of the question. 🙂 Okay, I’m going to rafflecopter now so I can win that prize. Home Depot is Rick’s favorite store and I could use a few outdoor cleaning supplies. xoxo, Sharon
I LOVE magic erasers! When we first moved in I went through a whole box cleaning various parts of the house. Now I have my addiction a bit more under control and I only use them from time to time. ;o)
We have the plastic toys and they are totally not redneck!
I love my indoor Mr. Clean, so I can only imagine how this would be outdoors. I actually have plans to paint my outdoor plastic chairs. They’re so grungy and about 7 years old from the previous owners of our house. They were sweet enough to leave us with these disgusting things. I’m curious how the outdoor products would work on them. I might not have to paint after all.
My house is over fifty years old, so the projects are endless. I am in the middle of removing the overgrown plants and crazy vines/ weeds from the yard and getting ready to add new plants to the empty flowerbeds. The gift card could really help with supplies for my project list.
I am always glad to see a new post from you in my inbox—it is guaranteed to make me smile. You are creative, take great pics that make the text even more fun to read than it already is, and I love seeing your kids grow. (Mila’s baby toes in the swing picture are just begging to be kissed.)
$50 gift card? Seriously? *sigh* Everyone else sounds so sure of what they would do with it….the possibilities stretch waaaayy out before me. Eenie, meenie, minie, moe…
Jamie, I sympathize with the “no garage” thing. Our mower is in our basement. 28 years of pulling the mower out of the basement…When I get to heaven, my mansion will have a garage and I will never have to clean snow/ice off the car again! Woo-hoo!
I loved this post! There is something so satisfying about scrubbing something completely clean!
i really need to organize my garage – i’ve recently fallen in love with the Rubbermaid Fast Track – have you tried it? the pieces are super awesome, but expensive
I’d love to buy paint for my living room!
Hah! I do the exact thing when it comes to remembering silly things like how much a pillow cost, where I got, and the temperature the day I purchased it.
Love Mila’s dress!
I love magic erasers! Can’t wait to try the outdoor version!
Nice backyard, there, lady!
What wouldn’t I do with $50 to Home Depot?! Every time I go to the hardware store I never want to leave! We’ve got these wall mounted shelves up holding our tv and cds with another media storage unit beneath. I think I would dash to the lumber yard and grab some pine to fashion new shelves in a configuration that looks more cohesive and less cheap closet. Haha!
xo,
Brianna
I’d put it towards my DIY home bathroom reno – so a fraction of the tile I need!
Our backyard definitely needs some spiffing up. Cleaning supplies all the way!
I would use the gift card on landscape items: plants, pavers, the works for a pretty yard.
I am totally a magic eraser addict!! LOVE those things to death, they can clean the heck out of some stuff..I recently did a little cleaning (a lot who am I kidding) on my patio too, washing the winter away but I am sure I could use more of these awesome cleaning products cuz nothing stays clean around here for long.. Super cute kiddos, great job on keeping your baby girls tushy clean lol! Here is the link to my patio I just finished if you wanna check it out, http://jslatelydesign.blogspot.com/2013/05/patio-reveal-well-most-of-it.html
Love your swing set. I think it looks fantastic. I can imagine a much red-neckier swing set than that 😉 Have a great weekend!!
We’d use the gc towards getting landscape lighting along our walkway.
Thanks so much.
Leaving my comment! We have a 9 month old, so we don’t have any outdoor toys yet… but they’ll be here soon! I need to get our patio furniture spiffed up so I can sit out there and watch my little guy. Thanks!
I would buy all kinds of DIY project supplies! I think the first one on my list would be the supplies to make a stained, wooden frame for those cheap long mirrors. Like this:
http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2012/05/15-diy-mirror.html
I’ve been dying to do this simple but awesome project!
i’d use it to buy kitchen supplies
We need to re-stain our privacy fence, so I would use my gift card towards supplies for that project.
I totally know that “disguting/awesome” feeling. 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Ok, Mila is just wanna-bite-those-fat-cheeks cute! I love her expression mid-swing – priceless.
I seriously need to de-redneck our backyard. We inherited a non-working spa when we moved in, and it seriously takes up 1/3 of the yard. Then there is the door from inside chillin against the house, and our disgusting stainless steel grill that is in desperate need of a hose-n-scrub! Don’t even get me started on the canopy. We can’t build in the yard here, so there is a canvas gazebo/canopy thing. It’s worse than the seat of that swing yo.
on plants.
We are anxiously awaiting the closing date of our first house…and it needs a lot of help! $50 to HD would be huge!
Love that last picture of the little princess! What a cutie! 🙂
She *IS* so cute!
I would use it to buy new window coverings for my son’s room. 🙂 Thank you.
I LOVE Hone Depot and I would put it towards a new table lamp. You can find anything at Home Depot.
If I won, I would buy paint for my daughter’s playroom
Plants, plants and more plants….one can never have to many plants. That’s what I would buy.
Ha! I think it will take more than a Magic Eraser to scrub all of our redneck away. I didn’t even know about the outdoor version!!!
I think I’d spend my 50$ on some of those cleaning supplies….b/c cleaning supplies are like school supplies. They make me happy OR some hanging ferns for my patio
fail, I just realized that the giveaway is for the cleaning supplies and a 50$ giftcard to home depot. I just love home stores so much I got too excited haha
Does Andy, in his new capacity as a blogger’s guru, arrange for the free booty? Interesting and valuable gig, if so. And glad you were able to vent regarding the redneck issues
..
I haven’t planted any flowers yet. And I’m staining and sealing my deck.
Would be a great way to spruce up our patio! I never win anything!
We have so many house projects going on I can’t even say for sure what I’d use the gift card for. Probably paint since we are going to blow most of our budget on the bathroom and then the rest of the house will have to get up to snuff!
A gift card from Home Depot would be great when we fix up our porch and deck. Your blog is an inspiration. It has given me many great ideas without spending a fortune. Thanks.
I would use the cleaners to clean my faded, mildew/bird poo covered, plastic, adirondack chairs. I’d use the card
To buy new plastic adirondack chairs to Put on my porch and give
The faded ones the boot to the back Yard. 🙂
We’d use those magic erasers to get the Great dane slobber spots off the porch walls. we’d put the gift card toward our raised garden beds. amazing how expensive it can get to be, saving money by growing it yourself!
I’d probably use it on DIY projects with my boyfriend. He is very hands on and would love to use this gift card.
I need to get some painting supplies to spruce up the front door and my deck furniture.
I would probably buy paint to redo my guest bedroom.
I would spend it on cleaning supplies. 😀 Thank you!
I would spend this on supplies for re-modeling my master bathroom.
On some tools.
I’d buy some hanging plants for our front porch:)
need flowers
you are so funny Kelly! 🙂 love how you clean! 🙂 & btw, you should see our yard; full of those plastic toys too! 🙂 Hope you are having a great weekend!
Think it would remove the gunk off my fire pit? Off the front porch railing? the siding? and I would love to have a bird bath 🙂 or a fountain:) or an outdoor rug 🙂
I need a new grill for our ac intake. The kids decided to play angry birds in the living room and busted the hinges right off 🙂
Thanks,
Michelle W.
thanks for the giveaway. This time of year, I would spend the money on plants, plants, and flowers
I want to buy wood for a new headboard
I have two spots in my landscaping that need some sort of bush/small tree/plant. I’ve been holding out to find the perfect thing.
I would put it towards paint!
I would put it towards supplies to build my son a sand box!
I sure do like your blog, follow along with each one. Thanks for the chance to win a gift card home the HD, one of my favorite places to shop! Also we have two outdoor furniture sets, so can always use cleaning supplies and those erasers take care of lots of ickies!
Adorable pictures of your kiddos, Kelly! Have a fun weekend!
It usually helps improve the whole neighborhood when one upgrades and keeps their own home well maintained. Your efforts to disseminate DIY home improvement tips via your popular blog may be improving other DIYer’s homes — perhaps even neighborhoods far outside of your own.
Personally, if I win the Home Depot credit, there probably will be some new colorful flowers (note: deer snacks) planted near our front entry
..
I would get some more plants for my garden.
will buy some gardening supplies
I would get gardening tools!
love contests!!! so glad i found your blog!!!
I have a few minor repairs to do around the house.
Yay that you have a clean swing! 🙂 We have a swing like that and it could probably use a good cleaning too 😉 However, I think that if I won, I would use the gift card to purchase paint remover (something called ready strip) We are moving and the house we’re moving into has beautifully trimmed windows (you know, the way they used to trim windows and doors with wood trim) unfortunately, they are all painted. I would love to restore the wood to its natural beauty.
Yikes! Although it looks great, be careful with the heavy duty outdoor cleaners on kids toys. You would be amazed what is in that stuff. You can check the ingredients of all household cleaners on the msds dot org site! Thanks for the giveaway! We are using your site as inspiration for updating our whole home! 🙂
I would use it towards flowers
Hmmm, I think I would use it for paint to spiff up my laundry room!
I’d use it for some paint for a few refurb projects!!
i would buy paint or deck stain
I would buy paint or deck stain
Something boring, like Scott’s fertilizer w/ weed control 🙂
Need to buy some grill parts for the grill and paint for the kids rooms
We live in an apartment and I would LOVE some flowers for our balcony, it’s so blah. The giftcard would definitely be used for that.
There are countless ways to spend a HD gift card! Would probably use it to buy more outdoor planting stuff like flowers and mulch!
I’d buy something for Father’s Day
Spray paint to spruce up our patio set
I would buy paint for our living room
Let’s see, I would use the gift card for my roof. It needs coating badly. It’s a flat roof. And I have had a few leaks from this winter. The cleaning supplies would be great too. My plastic outdoor chairs need a good scrubbing.
Love Home Depot, love Magic Erasers… it’s a match made in cleaning heaven :0) I also secretly love the dirty black paper towel that shows how far we’ve come…
Paint for a free desk I got that needs some TLC.
Such cute kids you have. What fun you must have!
tell me how you’ll spend your $50 gift card!
need a good fan
I would put it toward a new lawnmower or grill. Both of mine are pretty old, ugly and rusty.
I would spend $50 on building supplies to make my 5 yorkies their own little beds 🙂
I would put it towards my new stove I want!
We’re debating redoing the floor in the master bathroom. If I win, I’ll put the gift card toward that!
On stuff for my yard! Or towards a grill. 😉
I would probably buy some cleaning supplies or something for the grill..love your review
I could do all sorts of damage buying plants and flowers with this!
I would buy paint.
The redneck backyard post made me die. Mr. Clean magic erasers are MAGIC (hmmm is that where they got the name from?) Also your kids are so friggin cute I want to be their friends… I mean I want my kids to be their friends…awkward..
I love those mr clean magic erasers. When my daughter got into her crayons and drew all over our white walls I could’ve died. The little miracle product took it all off, I’m in love with it! lol we keep 2 on hand just in case we need them at any time. I’d probably let hubby spend the GC since he loves that store. Him and his zillions of projects lol.
I would buy paint!
love love love magic erasers!
So funny to hear you talk about the toys. We don’t yet have children but my husband and I talk like we won’t have all that clutter either! HA! I’d say reality will hit one of these days and our house will overflow with big bright toys! P.S. Your kiddos are so adorable! 🙂
I need a new rake & some new potting soil.
I’d spend mine on some plants and flowers
WOULD USE TO BUY FLOWERS TO SET OUT
I would use it to buy some spray paint for DIY projects I’ve been wanting to do.
I have so many different projects in mind, I don’t know for sure what I would get! I love browsing Home Depot! 🙂
I would love to buy an exhaust fan for my upstairs bathroom. It needs one bad.
Hopefully not buying pet supplies. Anyone want 4 kittens?
:o)
I want to spray paint our outdoor furniture and to plant a container garden for our patio. So the card would be used for the needed supplies.
We need a new string trimmer.. I would put it toward that.
Some flowers!
buy some paint
We would probably spend the gift card on some more plants for our vegetable garden or other gardening supplies.
I will use it towards some bills that I really need paid!!
I would buy sealer for our new deck.
We would probably buy a couple of lawn chairs.
I would buy Mr. Clean erasers and a hoe for my weeds:)
I would give the gift card to my sister – she is working on a gardening project.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog. It has inspired me to incorporate more DIY projects at home. Thanks!
I would probably purchase gardening supplies. 🙂
We would put it towards finishing our son’s nursery. We need more drywall!
paint for my deck
I would use it to help pay for my backyard renovation project! That would be wonderful! We are building a retaining wall, patio, and then laying sod.
~Chelsea @ Married Filing Jointly
i would buy bulbs and a mirror for the bathroom
That picture of Mila is so stinkin’ cute I can’t stand it.
Glad that you were able to clean the crud off the swing for you baby’s cute behind! My patio furniture needs a good cleaning too.
i’d get some plants and mulch for the yard
I would get some outdoor birdhouses.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com
id use it towards a sander
We got some new to us swings for free that are so grody they are slightly sticky. I’d love to try the Mr. Clean Outdoors on them to clean them up for my king of the world!
I would spend it on some plants for the yard and we need mulch.
I’m moving in 2 weeks and could really use some magic erasers!!!
My master bedroom needs to be painted sooooo bad!
I have no idea what I’d spend it on, but my husband could probably give you 50!
I think that I would get some flashlights and batteries. Have a great Tuesday!!!
I would buy some new patio cushions.
we need to finish fixing our deck, got a little damaged over the winter
I’d buy flowers for my garden.
I’d probably use it towards some new mini blinds I’ve been wanting to get
would buy paint
We need to replace some boards in our deck. That’s how I’d spend the gift card.
I would put it towards new patio furniture.
I’d get a few gardening tools and definitely some Mr Clean Erasers. I love thost things!
I would spend the $50 on my gardening hobby.
Great ideas and fun to see your progress!
I would put the $50 gift card towards the purchase of much needed screen door.
I would most likely get some storage totes and cleaning supplies with the gc…I still haven’t done my spring cleaning. And it’s summer?!
We are replacing several windows in our house so I’d use the GC for that.
I would get some chairs for my porch since our chairs are getting old. Thank you!
I would use it towards gardening supplies.
I would buy some gardening supplies
I have some outdoor painting projects planned and would love to have $50 to spend on paint!
I would get a new fruit tree for our yard.
I’d buy plants
I would get plants
I would use it towards a new trimmer.
I would get some decorative bricks to go around the little garden in front.
I would paint and brushes!
I would use this gc to buy garden items
I’d use it towards all the new mulch I need to get for my yard
I’ll get a hanging basket with flowers.
Thanks for the contest.
like your blog i keep looking for ideas every few days…cleaning supplies will be very nice for us next month we move into new home…it will be very nice to have
thank you
I’d use it for paint for the kitchen.
I would put it towards a weed eater.
I would spend it on paint.
… but where’s the Princess butt money shot? 🙂
And I can’t begin to tell you how so very happy we are that the plastic is gone!!! Gone. Gone. GONE!!!!
🙂 Linda
Well, I like to see clean swings as much as anyone, but I can’t imagine going to the trouble of doing it myself! And I like to see my yard filled with kids’ toys – as far as I’m concerned, it’s a good sign of life.