How to tidy and clean your greenhouse

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To do

Choose a mild day so that any overwintering plants can be safely placed outside for a while.

In this video, Monty Don shows how he cleans out one of his greenhouses at the end of the growing season, to prevent it harbouring pests and diseases over winter – with a little help from the dogs!

Find more tips on cleaning and organising your greenhouse, below.

Inspired to get started? Our experts have put the best pressure washers through their paces, so you can buy with confidence.

You Will Need

Broom
Bucket
Disinfectant
Glass cleaner
Long handled sponge
Scouring sponge

Total time: 1 day

Step 1

Brushing the greenhouse floor

If you're overwintering tender plants, choose a mild spell to empty your greenhouse completely. Cover plants or take them into the house, if necessary. Brush down framework and staging, then sweep the floor.

Step 2

Clearing the greenhouse

Once everything is outside promise yourself not to return anything that isn't absolutely essential.

Step 3

Sponging down the glass panes of the greenhouse

Both the inside and outside of your greenhouse panes will need cleaning. Take a bucket and sponge and long handled sponge, thoroughly wiping over every pane with a solution of glass cleaner to soak and scrub off dirt. Use a stable platform or stepladder to reach the glass in high ridges.

Step 4

Removing leaves from the greenhouse guttering

Check your gutters for collected leaves and debris, which could filter down into water butts. Brush out the rubbish before it flows into the downpipes. If the guttering needs replacing, read our guide to fixing guttering to a greenhouse.

Step 5

Emptying the water butt to clean it

Empty out water butts and clean out any accumulated dirt in the bottom, then put them back into place. Find out why you should empty your water butt from time to time in our Quick Tips guide. If you don't have a water butt, now is a good time to install one - it will mean that you have a handy water source on hot days.

Step 6

Washing plastic pots to reuse

Wipe down surfaces with scouring sponge and wash flower pots and seed trays with disinfectant before thoroughly rinsing. Return everything outside to its proper place in the greenhouse.