Your greenhouse should be a beacon of your gardening abilities. It houses plants and brings them to life. As part of your annual spring cleaning, be sure to give your greenhouse a thorough cleaning, and one way to get the job done is with Jeyes fluid.
How to clean a greenhouse with Jeyes fluid: To clean your greenhouse with Jeyes fluid, start by mixing it with water at a ratio of 1 to 19. Clear your greenhouse of all your plants and tools and remove any debris. Then, scrub both the inside and outside with the disinfectant. Jeyes fluid will tackle mold, bacteria, and algae from plastic and glass greenhouses.
What is Jeyes fluid?
Jeyes fluid is named after the man who invented it, John Jeyes. He patented it in 1877 and while it was first used to bathe patients who had scarlet fever, its disinfectant properties have made it a popular cleaner.
The major benefit of Jeyes fluid is that it kills 99% of bacteria and germs. It completely disinfects any surface you use it on, including glass, plastic, and concrete.
Is Jeyes Fluid good for cleaning greenhouses?
Greenhouses can carry a lot of grime on them. Not only does this make your greenhouse look unsightly, but harmful bacteria can be lurking in that grime.
Plants that are exposed to bacteria can result in serious issues and this can spread and infect your whole greenhouse. The cleaner the environment, the healthier your plants will be.
Jeyes fluid is also beneficial for greenhouses because it can be used on a number of surfaces. Whether your greenhouse is made from plastic or glass, the cleaning solution will be equally effective.
Furthermore, the liquid is easy to use. As long as you have a decent, long-handled brush, you can reach all the sides of your greenhouse.
How to clean greenhouse using Jeyes fluid
Timing
The best time to clean your greenhouse is either in late winter or early spring. This is a natural time to do yard cleanup, so it makes sense to add the task to your list.
Furthermore, you want your greenhouse to be nice and clean before you start adding new plants. As we mentioned, a clean greenhouse will prevent the spread of plant diseases, so you can ensure your seedlings start out nice and strong.
Another time to clean your greenhouse is if you notice diseased plants. Despite your best diligence, airborne bacteria and fungus can make their way into your greenhouse, or come in through contaminated containers and tools.
Once you have an outbreak of a plant disease, you want to eliminate all soil and plants so it doesn’t spread further. Then, clean your greenhouse walls and roof to ensure there are no micro spores still sticking around.
Finally, while an annual clean is a good starting point, a monthly clean will be even more effective. Make a note in your calendar to clean your greenhouse on the first weekend of every month and soon it will be a habit.
Gather materials
Before you start cleaning with Jeyes fluid, make sure you have all the necessary materials. This includes the Jeyes fluid itself, which you can find online or at some larger gardening centers.
You will need a large bucket and a brush that has a handle long enough to reach the tops of your walls and the roof. You may also want a ladder if your brush isn’t long enough.
Clear out your greenhouse
An advantage to cleaning in the early spring is that you won’t have much in your garden at this point. You want to remove everything inside your greenhouse, including the plants, tables, and tools.
If the weather is still quite cool, place your plants indoors so they aren’t shocked by the cold.
Clean the floor and tidy the walls
Now that everything is outside, take the time to tidy the floor of your garden. Sweep up debris, including dirt and plant material.
Before using the Jeyes fluid, knock down any cobwebs or weeds that may be growing up the side of your greenhouse. You want to make the actual cleaning step as easy as possible.
Mix Jeyes fluid with water
Jeyes fluid is very powerful on its own, so you want to dilute it before you use it. Mix one part Jeyes fluid with 19 parts water.
You can use either hot or cold water to dilute it in your large bucket.
Start scrubbing
The more you clean off the surface of your greenhouse ahead of time, the less scrubbing you will have to do. Still, you might need to use some elbow grease if there is a buildup of mold or algae.
Use rubber gloves during this process. Even though the diluted mixture is safe, your hands might start to feel a little agitated if you have sensitive skin.
Hit all the surfaces
Microbes are tiny and will quickly spread out if they are given the chance. Clean both the inside and the outside of your greenhouse for the best effects.
Use a ladder to reach the roof of your greenhouse and be sure to get into all the corners. Any time there are cracks or hidden areas, this is where bacteria like to grow.
Wash tools
Plant diseases are easily transported from old soil or contaminated plants. Use the Jeyes fluid to clean all your shovels, other tools, and containers.
Is Jeyes Fluid harmful to plants?
Unconcentrated Jeyes fluid is very powerful and can be quite harmful to plants. Even when diluted you want to be careful that it doesn’t come into direct contact.
However, if you have any run-off of the fluid from cleaning, this is safe as it will drain through paths or ground surfaces. To be on the safe side, always rinse the area you have just cleaned to further dilute the mixture.
Conclusion
In order to keep your greenhouse clean and free from harmful bacteria, wash the surfaces at least once a year. Jeyes fluid is an effective disinfectant that will get the job with just a little bit of elbow grease.
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