This TikTok Gardening Hose Hack Will Up Your Cleaning Game
Do you have a garden hose and some soap? Then you can do this TikTok hack to clean all kinds of things. TikTok creator @tipsandtrickswithq, also known as Suzy Q, developed a hack to clean things outdoors without the need to scrub. By pouring soap into the end of her garden hose and then attaching her spray nozzle, she sprays down her items with soapy water and a strong hose setting. Eventually, the water runs clear and rinses off all of the soap.
You can use this trick on plastic children's toys, patio furniture, rugs, cars, and even to bathe your dog. DenGarden recommends trying this hack to eliminate wasps if you don't have any wasp spray. While this hack seems simple, there are several things to remember before going to work. One is to make sure your drains don't lead directly into local waterways, and another is to use the correct soap. Below, we'll run you through all the steps to get your items squeaky clean without scrubbing.
How to clean with your garden hose
TikTok creator SuzyQ demonstrates her hack on a rug, but she also notes that she uses it on her kid's pool and toys. First, she holds the garden hose from the end, removing the spray nozzle attached. With the end of the hose pointing up, she leaves about 2 feet of hose sticking up and folds it a couple of times. This prevents the soap from going too far down your hose. Next, she takes dish soap, pours some into the end of the hose, and screws on the spray nozzle.
When you're ready to clean, soapy water will come out for about a minute, depending on the amount of soap added. You can change your spray nozzle settings for different levels of intensity. The jet setting will most resemble a pressure washer. After the soap runs out, clean water will come out of the hose to conveniently rinse your item.
What to be careful of
Since you'll be using this trick outdoors, whatever soap you use can potentially run into your local storm drains. You will need to keep this in mind when you're doing this hack to remain environmentally friendly. Your neighborhood drainage system could lead to natural waterways without going through a filtration system. Lifehacker explains that you will be able to know if soapy water isn't allowed to go into your local drains if the drains say "rainwater only" on them. If this is the case for you, you'll need to use a natural biodegradable cleanser.
It is also important to remember to use the correct soap for what item you're cleaning. If it's something like plastic toys, dish soap will be okay, but if you are cleaning a car or pets, you should adjust the soap accordingly. Once you're finished cleaning, ensure that all the soap has been cleared from the hose. That way, when you water the plants later, they aren't harmed by any residual soap.