Cleaning a greenhouse is an essential task to maintain a healthy growing environment for plants. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clean a greenhouse effectively:

1. **Remove Plants and Debris**: Start by removing all plants, pots, tools, and any other items from the greenhouse. This allows you to clean every surface thoroughly without obstruction.

2. **Sweep or Vacuum**: Use a broom or vacuum cleaner to remove loose dirt, debris, and cobwebs from the floors, benches, and walls. Pay attention to corners and crevices where dirt tends to accumulate.

3. **Wash Surfaces**: Mix a solution of mild soap or detergent with water in a bucket. Use a sponge or cloth soaked in the soapy water to wash all surfaces, including glass, plastic, metal, and wood. Pay particular attention to areas with visible dirt, algae, or mold.

4. **Disinfect**: After washing, disinfect surfaces to kill any remaining pathogens, pests, or fungal spores. You can use a commercial greenhouse disinfectant or make your own using a solution of diluted bleach (1 part bleach to 9 parts water). Apply the disinfectant with a spray bottle or sponge, ensuring thorough coverage. Allow the disinfectant to sit for the recommended contact time before rinsing with clean water.

5. **Clean Windows and Glazing**: Clean the greenhouse windows and glazing both inside and outside to allow maximum sunlight penetration. Use a glass cleaner or a solution of vinegar and water for a streak-free finish. For hard-to-reach areas, consider using a long-handled squeegee or a pressure washer (if appropriate for your greenhouse structure).

6. **Inspect and Repair**: While cleaning, inspect the greenhouse structure for any damage or wear and tear. Check for broken glass panes, damaged seals, leaks, or loose hardware. Repair or replace any damaged parts to ensure the greenhouse remains structurally sound and weather-tight.

7. **Clean Equipment and Tools**: Clean and disinfect all gardening tools, pots, trays, and other equipment before returning them to the greenhouse. This helps prevent the spread of pests and diseases between plants.

8. **Ventilation and Air Circulation**: Ensure that ventilation systems, louvers, and fans are clean and in good working order. Clean air vents and ensure they open and close properly to maintain proper airflow and prevent overheating.

9. **Replace Growing Medium**: If necessary, replace or top up the growing medium in planting beds or containers to refresh nutrients and improve soil structure.

10. **Preventive Maintenance**: Develop a regular cleaning schedule to keep the greenhouse clean and well-maintained throughout the growing season. Regularly remove weeds, monitor for pests and diseases, and address any issues promptly to prevent problems from escalating.

By following these steps and maintaining a clean greenhouse environment, you can create an optimal growing space for your plants and promote healthy growth and productivity.

A really useful thing to have – ideal for those not able to be on hand to open the greenhouse window when the sun comes out!

Automatic Greenhouse Vent Opener

Opens and closes standard greenhouse windows automatically
Simple to fit, needs only basic DIY skills
Designed to last many seasons
UK manufacturer with over 50 years experience of autovents
Protects your plants automatically from the worst heat damage that can occur in an unventilated greenhouse

When the sun comes out temperatures can soar in your greenhouse. You should open the window to help heat escape and stop the plants baking! This comes with many new greenhouses but if it doesn’t then it’s not hugely expensive and will give you peace of mind that your plants will get ventilation even if you’re not able to be there to open the window.

Greenhouses are often given away – but they might be missing a few parts. Greenhouse glazing clips, greenhouse parts, greenhouse clips, greenhouse bolts, greenhouse door wheels and more might all be missing. These are easily available.

Greenhouse spares on ebay

Additions to your greenhouse can include greenhouse rainwater kit, auto-opening vents and more!
Also find Spare Wicks for heaters.

Spring wire glazing clips W clips
Designed to hold glass in to the frame of aluminium greenhouses.

Aluminium lap clips

‘Z’ clips because of their shape.
Use them slotted on to the top of a pane of glass to support the upper piece of glass on the sidewalls of greenhouses.

Aluminium cropped head bolts and nuts
Aluminium bolts with a cropped head to slot into the vertical glazing bars of aluminium greenhouses to fix shelves, staging, etc to the greenhouse frame.

Aluminium square head bolts and nuts
Aluminium bolts and nuts useful in the construction and repair of aluminium greenhouse frames.
Also used for the construction of shelving and staging.

Aluminium lap strips
These flat aluminium strips designed to be bent in to shape for glazing repairs and are most useful for odd pane thicknesses and wooden greenhouses.

Greenhouse sliding door wheel kits mean you can sort out your dodgy greenhouse door.
You can re-drill the Aluminium frame to re-position the door to still run at the same height if it’s not quite right.

Insulation and shading fixers
These multi-purpose fixings are designed to slot into the greenhouse frame to fix on plastic bubble insulation or sun shading material in summer. Easier to use than painting the glass for shade.
They are complete with a hole that be used for tying up, straining wires, etc.
Very useful!