Polishing Your Planters

   

     You found some great vintage planters at the thrift store for a super price, but they are covered with white build up and soil stains.  Are they worth the risk? Don't pass them up--a few household ingredients and a little elbow grease will have them looking as good as new and ready for planting.  The white build up is most likely a combination of calcium, minerals, and salt from fertilizers and hard water.  Here's what you do to get rid of the build up:

• First, use a brush to remove as much of the soil, build up, cobwebs, and other gunk as you can from the planter.  An old toilet brush or dish brush would work fine.
• Next, soak the pot in a vinegar/water mix for about half an hour.  Use 1 cup of vinegar (no more than 5% acidity) to 4 cups water.  Keep in mind that the less vinegar you use, the longer you'll have to soak the pot.  You will probably hear or see bubbling during this stage--it's just the vinegar doing its job.
• If the residue wipes off easily, this part is done.  However, if stubborn build up persists, use undiluted vinegar and your brush to power off the remaining stains.  You may have to resort to soaking the piece in undiluted vinegar followed by an equal soak in clear water to get off the worst build up.
• Now scrub the pots in soapy water and rinse before filling with fresh potting soil and pretty plants.

     These are also great steps to follow for terra cotta pots.  When finished cleaning the pots, you can add mosaic stones, use black board paint or pre-made black board stickers for labels, or paint designs to create a custom look for your patio displays.