We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A pressure washer so you can blast away all the caked-up mud, dirt, and dust on your deck, patio furniture, fences, and rugs — and rediscover what your outdoor surfaces *actually* look like.
Promising review: "Outdoor spring cleaning with no chemicals. Used this to clean patio furniture, PVC fence, brick patio, Trex deck, stone walls and gazebo. Worked great, removed mold and dirt easily. Water hose is thicker (better quality) than other electric pressure washers I've used." —Sue
Get it from Amazon for $219.
2. Or if you're not ready to invest in a pressure washer just yet, a high-pressure nozzle for your garden hose to get the job done in a pinch. It's easy to adjust the pressure so you can go from lightly watering the plants to washing the dirt off your blackened pavement.
Promising review: "This product exceeded my expectations. I used it on a 5/8" rubber hose that gets good water flow. I had black tar-like sap on my patio that this took off without a power washer. I set it to the most powerful waterflow, and spaced it just right to make it look as good as new. It took some time, but it was worth it. I love it. And I love the additional settings." —DD
Get it from Amazon for $15.97.
3. OR a bleach-free outdoor cleaner that's especially effective on concrete and stone, but can be used on any part of your yard where you need to wash away layers of dust, dirt, and grime. It hooks directly to your garden hose to deliver a deep foaming clean.
Promising review: "I first used this product about two years ago on the awning on my RV. That awning was so bad, that I thought I was going to have to replace it. After using this Scott's product as directed, the mold and mildew completely disappeared. This product definitely works and it works GREAT! What more can I say — it saved me nearly $500." —R. Latreille
Get it from Amazon for $10.98.
4. Faux ivy for placing along a fence to shield your yard from the view of your neighbor's messy backyard — and to enhance the beauty of the space and make it feel more natural.
You can also line the top of a pergola with these vines for some shade, letting a bit of dappled sunlight pass through for gorgeous effect!
Promising review: "This was exactly what we needed for the backyard. It definitely provides enough privacy, and it gives the backyard a very nice ambiance! The leaves completely blend in with the other trees and plants we have in the backyard, and it looks like we made a huge upgrade in our gardening game. I'm now just hoping it can withstand the AZ summer and not fade with the sun (product description does state fade resistant). Don't be hesitant with purchasing; it's totally worth it!!" —Amazon Customer
Get a roll from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in three sizes). You'll need some green zip ties to secure them, too.
5. Scotts lawn fertilizer, aka the stuff your brown, patchy yard desperately needs to flourish into its greenest, lushest self. It helps build strong, deep roots so that your lawn can absorb water and nutrients and strengthens your grass against future problems.
Promising review: "I tried Scotts Turf Builder on my unruly lawn, and boy, was I impressed! This fertilizer is like a buffet for grass. It covers a whopping 15,000 sq. ft., giving my lawn a feast to remember. The results? A vibrant, lush carpet that makes my neighbors green with envy. It's the secret weapon for a lawn that roars with life! Only downside? The packaging doubles as a makeshift dumbbell during application. Gains for my lawn and arms!" —Genius Buy
Get a 12.5-pound bag covering 5,000 square feet from Amazon for $22 (also available in other sizes).
6. And (from the same brand!) a dog spot repair solution for addressing the dirt patches in your backyard caused by pet damage. It's made from a combo of mulch, seeds, and soil designed to help healthy grass regrow in no time.
Promising review: "I have lacrosse players and dogs and this stuff is amazing. My yard looked like an abandoned lot before this and it literally 'grew anywhere' just like it said. The bag I planted last year actually came back strong this year so I put more down and it is working like a dream!" —chchmom
Get it from Amazon for $13.62+ (available in five sizes and in packs).
7. Some interlocking teak tiles to cover a surface that has seen better days. Durable and weatherproof, they'll instantly kick your backyard or patio aesthetic up a notch and make it look sharp and put-together.
Promising review: "Living in Hawaii, you have to select wise items that are weather-, salt-, and red dirt-proof, etc. In total, I ordered 11 boxes to complete my yoga deck. I have a few leftovers to make steps on the back. Very pleased and happy. May order more for an outdoor shower project!" —Adelia
Get 10 sq. feet of tiles from Amazon for $73.79.
8. A two-pack of Howard Products wood polish and conditioner made with beeswax and orange oil if your outdoor wood surfaces are looking dull and dry. With this, you can polish your front door and patio furniture to restore their former luster — basically erasing years of use like magic.
Promising review: "I love this stuff. No, I mean, LOVE this stuff. I have a couple of tree trunks that I've made into tables and one of them is on our patio so it gets sun damage. If I use Feed-N-Wax, it looks like the day I made it. We also use it on our baby grand piano. There's no better product for wood." —WeBeSooners
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $13.90.
9. A mold and mildew stain remover to rescue your outdoor furnitures and surfaces from a buildup of mold and mildew, because absolutely no one wants to sit on that. This formula cleans away stains without any heavy scrubbing needed — just spray down whatever you're trying to clean, let it sit, then rinse it off with a hose to finish the job.
RMR Brands is a small business that launched in 2013 creating powerful cleaning solutions for your toughest messes.
Promising review: "I used this product on my vinyl siding on my house which was covered with green mildew. Within 15 seconds (as advertised) the mildew was disappearing literally before my eyes. I rinsed the siding off with water and my house looks like the siding was brand-new. THIS PRODUCT REALLY WORKS! Note: wear clothing that you can dispose of afterward, it will take the color out of fabric quickly if you get it on your clothing." —Ron
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (also available in a larger size and two-pack).
10. A pack of polished vinyl siding hooks if your vinyl siding is looking a little plain and boring — this'll let you dress it up with whatever decorations you like, from planters to signs and other wall art! These hooks slide into the seams without causing any damage, and no tools are needed.
Promising review: "I had previously ordered hooks for siding, and I couldn’t use them. But these are great!! They are easy to 'slide' into the siding and are pretty sturdy, too. I am using three of this set and have hung different objects with them. The heaviest was a long welcome sign! You won’t be dissatisfied by ordering them." —Cheryl
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.90 (also available in larger multipacks).
11. Some rust-stopping spray paint that'll give you the perfect weekend project: revamping your metal outdoor furniture or railings. People love using this on old rusty chairs, tables, planters, or even garden arches like the one below! The oil-based formula gives your outdoor pieces a protective coating with rust prevention, with a shiny new look to admire.
Promising reviews: "My husband had gotten a small glass garden table from his mom and the paint had faded. I wanted to bring it back to life, and I found this color — it worked perfectly. It is rich and vibrant and dried pretty quickly. Now my patio is perfect for the summer." —Grace Foster
"Perfect. It left such a beautiful finish on an old beach bicycle, which I turned into a planter/decoration for outside. Beautiful coverage with one coat." —Dana
Get it from Amazon for $6.98 (available in four finishes — gloss, satin, flat, or semi-gloss — and multiple colors).
12. A can of floor paint meant for concrete and wood porches, patios, and walkways — those areas obviously get a ton of traffic, so imagine how transformative a coat of this will be! (Or don't imagine it, just look at the pics below.)
One can covers 300–400 square feet on smooth surfaces and 200–300 square feet on rough surfaces. So you'll def have enough for this project.
Promising review: "I have used this on our concrete patio slabs with great results. One slab was under a metal shed, bare for 30 years! The other two had been painted with it a few years ago. I power-washed all three first and used a concrete bonding product on the bare slab, followed by a coat of Kilz primer. Then I rolled out a coat of this paint on all three. They all turned out amazing! The two slabs previously painted had weathered very well, so this topcoat made all three look great!" —D. Dawdy
Get a gallon from Amazon for $47.98.
13. Or anti-skid acrylic paint that'll give your walkways, steps, pool deck, or steep driveway a sleek long-lasting finish and create a nice grip for your feet while walking.
Promising review: "I tried several paints on my mom's deck stairs and they all peeled within a year. This paint solved the problem. Heat, sun, rain, snow, no problem. And it really adds a nice grip to the surface. Definitely worth the investment for me." —DL
"Best concrete paint I have ever used! You won't be disappointed. The grip is perfectly and the finish is fantastic. Used this on my very steep driveway. It looks clean and really made a difference on the front of my house. Great curb appeal!" —AmazonQueen
Get it from Amazon for $42.50 (available in two sizes and six colors).
14. A hardwood oil treatment because the blazing sun and countless storms have likely done a number on your wooden deck, railings, stairs, and furniture. This'll give them a gorgeous new finish *and* protect them against future dulling and UV rays — just check out that water being repelled in the right pic below!
Promising review: "I applied this product on an uncovered deck, which takes a beating from the sun and rain in the summertime and snow sits on the deck in the wintertime. I've tried several other wood sealers but nothing we have used holds up as well as this product. When it rains you can watch the water bead up and run off so you know that this product is working. I apply this product every summer to my deck to keep it in top shape. I also apply this sealer to the wooden floor of our covered porch and the boards shine like brand new. Probably would not have to apply every year to the covered floor area but I do." —Bubba
Get a quart from Amazon for $27.79 (available in nine colors and three sizes, including an aerosol version).
15. A rolling utility cart if you're tired of tripping over shovels, rakes, brooms, and other tools every time you step outside. This can hold up to 40 tools of various shapes and sizes, and it's made of a durable plastic that can withstand outdoor use. From pile of junk to organized storage!
Promising review: "Included before and after photos. This is a huge improvement to spaces that house shovels and brooms and such. We considered a small closet-like storage in this space, but it would have cost seven times what this item cost. It isn't super solid — definitely doesn't quite roll full of tools because the legs would pop off if lifted — but it scoots fine, and holds all of this very well. It's easy to balance your tools, so there is no way it would fall over unless you put all tools in leaning to one direction, which would be silly. I did put electrical tape over the holes where the legs fit in (top and bottom) bc it is hollow and I am not trying to provide a home for east Texas spiders. 😬" —Brooke
Get it from Amazon for $42.04.
16. A famous Little Green upholstery cleaner for going to town on those outdoor cushions and carpets that inevitably end up stained and dirty. The ketchup stains, spilled beer, and shoe marks from that last backyard barbecue will soon be no more.
Promising review: "Had purple berry stain dried on patio upholstery and this took it out, following directions to pre-soak for five minutes. Amazing. Also had dog diarrhea on carpet and it came right out. Suction removed cleaning solution very very well. Easy to clean unit and ergonomic handle easy to use. Really great product. Hope it lasts." —Judi
Get it from Amazon for $123.59.
17. A white vinyl privacy screen to hide that eyesore in your backyard that puts you in a bad mood every time you have to look at it, whether it's trash cans, pool equipment, or other random junk you don't have a good place to store. This'll keep it easy accessible but out of sight.
Promising review: "Easy way to hide pool equipment. I was able to assemble this by myself but it took three of us to move it into place. I didn’t anchor it into the ground as I wasn’t sure where all the underground water lines were to my pool pump/filter. It’s withstood high winds from a recent monsoon storm so I feel confident it won’t blow over. Quality materials and makes looking out at the pool area more aesthetically pleasing. I highly recommend this product." —Kathy Burdick
Get it from Amazon for $145.99.
18. An all-in-one wood stain and sealer literally marketed as "goof proof" and requiring no primer before you apply it to your wood deck, fence, or other surfaces needing a touch-up. Reviewers back up its ease of use, so even new homeowners and people who don't consider themselves "handy" will have no problem with this DIY upgrade.
Be sure to give it around 14 days to settle into its true color — it'll look darker shortly after application.
Promising review: "Applied two coats to pressure-treated deck. Goes on effortlessly with a brush or roller. Spilled drops and brush strokes blend together. Absorbs into wood. Dark Walnut color goes on darker and lightens some. Repels water well. Nothing here that is going to peel up and flake off like some products that claim to last for 5+ years but only hold up a year or two." —Jricky
Get it from Amazon for $56 (available in two sizes and in nine shades).
19. Waterproof globe lights so your outdoor gatherings can continue long into the night. Hang them along your roofline, drape them on outdoor structures, or just string them up solo to give your backyard the most magical vibe. You can see how they transformed one reviewer's outdoor deck area below!
Promising review: "We spent the summer of 2020 building a deck onto the back of our house [pictured above]. I spent the summer of 2021 trying to add touches to make it better. One of those touches was adding string lights into the space. I always loved the look when I'd see the loosely strung lights on patio spaces, whether on TV, Pinterest or in person. Once finished, I was in love with how the light transformed the space in both illumination and aesthetics. It gives off a lot of light, which I wanted, so the space can function like an actual room even when the sun goes down. If you're after a dim look, use less bulbs! The illumination given by this set makes my deck feel like a cozier space. Also, I chose weatherproof bulbs since they'll be hung outdoors year-round. However, they're under roof so won't be rained directly on. I did want something that would hold up to cold temps and gusty winds." —Midwest Mom
Get a strand from Amazon for $13.28 (available in seven styles and three lengths).
20. A super concentrated weed and grass killer for eliminating the weeds taking over your pathways, garden beds, and brickwork — just spray them down and walk away. They'll start wilting within hours and completely die within 1–2 weeks.
Just be sure to not spray any plants or flowers with this stuff!
Promising review: "I was pleasantly surprised at how long this product works. So10 months later and still little to no weeds in areas I sprayed. So much nicer than using a weed eater every couple of weeks. Sometimes on some plants it takes a while to work but it gets there. Some weeds appear to be a little resistant but they too eventually wither away." —R.M.
Get it from Amazon for $24.22 (also available in a gallon size).
21. Non-toxic grass paint if your lawn is struggling and looking far more brown than green. This stuff is safe for pets and kids and won't affect future growth, and will have your lawn looking green and lush for up to a few months. Folks living in places with drought restrictions where they can't water their grass regularly swear by this stuff.
You can see it in action on TikTok.
Promising reviews: "My lawn was fertilizer burned badly, decided to try this to help while it gets healthy. WOW! What a difference! Need to take your time and repeat your water/product ratio for color match, definitely a big improvement." —Dogma101
"We live in San Jose, California, where we are in a horrible drought. My husband had heard of people in SoCal painting their lawn. I was against the idea, but he convinced me to buy LawnLift and just use it as a test in the backyard. I figured since it was pet friendly and non-toxic, why not, we had nothing to lose but a few bucks. After he sprayed the backyard I couldn't believe how good it looked. So we bought more to do our front yard and now I love driving up to our house and seeing a beautiful green lawn. Our neighbors who are our friends commented to us that we might get turned in to the water patrol since our grass was so green. They thought we put in new lawn in the backyard and couldn't why we would do this in a serious drought. They couldn't believe it was just lawn paint. I highly recommend Lawnlift if you want a green lawn without wasting precious water to keep it green." —Sandra
Get it from Amazon for $48.95.
22. A set of brush scrubber drill attachments that straight-up attaches to a drill to handle all the muscle power of outdoor cleaning for you. If you've got dirt stains, caked-on grime, and mold and mildew buildup that you just haven't been able to get rid of, this could be the thing that finally does the trick.
Drill Brush is a small business based in New York that makes cleaning brushes that attach to drills. It was started in 2007 by a former electrician who suffered from carpal tunnel and needed a way to clean without causing him harm.
Note: Each color of the Drill Brush attachment corresponds to the type of bristles they have, and each one is best suited for a specific type of cleaning job. The red set features stiff bristles and is intended for heavy-duty outdoor use. It includes three brush head attachments: a flat 2-inch detail brush, a flat 4-inch brush for large surfaces, and a rounded brush for corners.
Promising review: "These are the handiest things I've bought all year. I've use the large brush to clean my fence, clean the tile in my bathroom, strip old wax from the floor, scrub the porches. Awesome product." —GeGe
Get it from Amazon for $18.95 (available in various brush stiffnesses).
23. A hard water stain remover in case your outdoor-facing windows and glass doors are looking so foggy, you can barely see through them. Now your home will look as good from the outside as you work so hard to keep it on the inside.
It also works on a wide range of surfaces like stainless steel, brass aluminum, hard vinyl, chrome, and more.
Promising review: "This product works great! I was surprised the way it cleaned the old (at least 3-year-old water stains) off my patio doors! I put some product on a sponge and rubbed it on window and then wiped off with a wet towel, and spots were gone! I tested a small area and was amazed at how easy it worked. I tried different products, which did not work. This is a great product!" —Randy B.
Get it from Amazon for $18.99.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.