Have the elements made your backyard deck, furniture and grill lose their luster? The Good Housekeeping Institute has some suggestions, starting with the deck.

“The deck really takes a beating in the winter—snow, rain, sleet. It’s important to make it look new again,” says Nate Benforado, Tester, Good Housekeeping Institute.

First, brush off all the debris. Then toss on the cleaner. Good Housekeeping tested three brands that work with water. OxiClean Miracle Foam performed the best. And it also does a great job on concrete as well.

Now, how about your outdoor furniture? Good Housekeeping tested three specialty cleaners and found that CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner cleaned up the best. “Just with a couple of passes, the stains are already gone,” says Benforado.

And for the metal and glass items, Good Housekeeping recommends a liquid car wax. “Automotive wax is great on cars, helps protect the finish. But it also works on any smooth non-porous surface. So for metal or resin or even glass in your backyard, it will leave a nice waxy coating to protect from the elements and actually give it a nice shine—a nice sheen,” says Benforado.

Finally, don’t forget the grill. You’ll probably find a little mess left over from last season and Good Housekeeping likes how Dawn Power Dissolver did the job of cleaning up. To keep the “gunk” from getting on the grill this summer, spray the grates with some non-stick spray BEFORE you fire it up.

A final tip: Good Housekeeping says if you have extra-tough grease stains on your wood deck, spray the mess with oven cleaner. Then wait a few minutes and rinse. If you have grease stains on concrete, soak up any liquid immediately because the longer you wait, the deeper the stain will set. For more summer cleaning tips, check out the July issue of Good Housekeeping or visit www.goodhousekeeping.com.