National Gardening Month: 6 ways to revamp your garden using ordinary household items

As the days begin to get longer, Brits are eager to start work on revamping their outdoor space for less. The arrival of spring has triggered an increase in searches for gardening

tips, with searches for ‘garden hacks’ skyrocketing by 163% in April. 

To mark National Gardening Month, leading online metal supplier

metals4U has revealed the best hacks to spruce up your garden using everyday household items – just in time for summer. 

 Use white vinegar to remove rust from metal furniture. 

Undiluted, distilled white vinegar can be used to remove rust from metal outdoor furniture that has been damaged by wet weather, and it can be bought for as little as 35p!

Either spray the vinegar or place a cloth soaked in vinegar on the affected area before scrubbing with a sponge or a steel scourer. 

Create a natural polish for your wooden furniture. 

When left unused over the winter, wooden garden furniture such as picnic benches can become weathered. To avoid having to buy wood polish, you can create your own using a

solution made from household items: one part olive oil, one part white vinegar, and a splash of lemon juice to restore your furniture’s shine. 

Use car wax to polish metal furniture. 

If you’ve recently cleaned your metal outdoor furniture, applying car wax will help it to stay cleaner for longer. The wax polishes the metal and provides a water-resistant

layer that prevents the material from scratching and rusting. 

Check for pests in common hiding spots! 

Check the most common hiding spots for signs of pests to prevent them from destroying your plants and greenery. These include underneath the top layer of soil, in plants'

leaves and stems, weeds, and old pots and containers. To keep pests away, spray soapy water onto your plants when the bugs are present.  

Submerge tools in beer to remove rust. 

If your outdoor tools are covered in rust, submerge them in beer overnight. The carbonation will break down the rust enough for it to be wiped away easily in the morning. 

Clear the debris from your garden. 

Collect hard debris such as dead stalks, twigs and rocks before gathering softer debris such as leaves, rotten garden produce and soil – these can be composted if possible.

To finish, use a leaf blower or rake to clear the leaves and tools to trim the grass.