How to Clean a Mildew Garden Hose (Tips and Tricks)

Is that Mildewed hose getting dirty in time after using it? The first tip for homeowners is that you should never let a mildew hose get dirty and stay dirty. No, that will only damage the hose, which prevents you from using it because you don’t want to touch a dirty hose. Find your rubber gloves and a cleaning cloth and let’s get started. In this article, you will learn some handy tricks on how to clean a mildew hose. 

Why Should I Clean my Garden Hose Regularly?

Having a clean garden hose is a happy garden hose. Not just for the hose, but you as well. Keep a garden hose clean regularly is an effective way to ensure that you and your family are kept safe from harmful bacteria to prevent you and the members of your family from getting sick. Think about those moments where you squirt water into your month to quench your thirst. That’s right, you’re putting your mouth around a dirty nozzle. This action alone is competent in introducing toxic bacteria to your system.

How Often Should I Wash my Hose?

The water hose should be cleaned and sanitized at least a couple of times per year. Hoses are exposed to bacteria, garden soil, fertilizers, and various contaminants due to the storage months that can be harmful to humans and pets.

Cleaning Items That you will Need

  • Bucket to fill water
  • Clorox Regular Bleach
  • Measuring cups
  • Rubber gloves
  • Safety glasses
  • Scrubbing brushes

Using the Right Cleaner

Use a bleach-based spray cleaner to give your mildew garden hose a good clean. Spray it down thoroughly, and then let it sit a few minutes. After that, use rubber gloves and a cleaning cloth to wipe down your garden hose. If possible, leave it flattened out flat to dry.

The Difference Between Bleach and Vinegar

There are two ways that you can clean a hose. With bleach and also with vinegar. Which of these solutions is the best you may ask? In the end, it’s your decision on which solution you would like to use. We will give you a step by step process on how to give your hose a good clean. 

Steps on How to Clean With Bleach

Using bleach is the best way to get rid of any dirt and germs from a hose. 

Step 1: Pour a 1/4 of a cup of bleach into a bucket of water. 

Step 2: Dip the hose into the bleach solution. Don’t let the solution splash on your clothes.

Step 3: Let the hose sit in the solution for a good eight hours. All the germs, dirt, and mildew will dissolve. 

Step 4: Once the eight hours are up, take the hose out of the solution. Soak it in another bucket of water for an hour. 

Step 5: Once this hour has concluded, connect the hose to a water faucet allowing water to run through it. That way it cleans out the inner parts of the house. 

Step 6: Let the water run through the hose for several minutes so all the germs and bleach are removed. Always make sure that you rinse the hose with clean water. Only clean water removes chemical solutions.

Steps on How to Clean a Hose with Vinegar

Most people are uncomfortable using bleach to clean off their garden hose. Let’s talk about cleaning a house with a vinegar solution. Don’t let the smell turn you off because it gradually dissolves. 

Step 1: Fill a 10-gallon bucket with water

Step 2: Pour a half of gallon of distilled white vinegar into the bucket of water

Step 3: Soak the hose in the bucket of vinegar for eight hours

Step 4: After that, rinse the hose clean with water for a total of 30 minutes

Cleaning the Hose With Essential Oils

Other than bleach and vinegar you can also use something else for cleaning a hose. For maintaining the safe, bacteria-free hose, you can also utilize tea tree oil at the end of the hose. That way, it is safe to drink from. To apply the tea tree oil, use a damp rag. Wipe the inside and outside of the hose to kill bacteria. Allow it to sit for ten minutes. Then rinse by running water through a hose and wiping the fitting as well.

This method is great for maintenance but it doesn’t get the job done as well like bleach and vinegar. Debris and contaminants can be inside of the hose which goes through as water flows through the hose.

Essential oils such as tea tree are known as the most organic or health food stores. The oils vary in price, but it is well worth the cost since it is used little. Other than the garden hose, Tea tree can be used around the home.

Scrub the Hose with a Brush

Go out to a store and get advice on a good brush that you should use to scrub the hose good and clean. Like the hose, you should let the brush soak in a tub of bleach or vinegar and then firmly scrub it. Repeat the process again. 

Cleaning Inside the Hose with a Brush

It is a tough process, but you can clean the inside of your hose with a brush. Soak it with bleach and then stick it inside the hose to clean all the dirt out. 

Cleaning Algae out of a Mildewed Hose

All you need to do to remove algae from a garden house is bleach. Mix bleach or caustic soda in a bucket of water. Then use a 0.5 hp motor and let the hose run in water for a few days. Note that the algae won’t be removed in one day’s time. Slowly, the algae are washed away.

Tips to Watch Out For

  • Never pour the bleach or any chemical solution out onto the grass or near the plants. That’s only going to kill the garden from growing any flowers
  • When using vinegar you should make a weekly job to clean hose pipes regularly
  • Get a brush that is the length of your hose 

Look Out for Your Hose

Just because you cleaned it once doesn’t mean that it is not going to keep getting dirty. Unroll the hose to let it sit out in the sun instead of making it sit in the garage. Wipe it off with a damp rag before folding it back up. 

Want more posts like this? check out the related reads below:

Leave a Comment: