Want to know how to care for your outdoor furniture? Here's how you can keep them clean and looking their best for years to come!
Caring For Your Outdoor Furniture
If you have a deck outside your home, you should feel truly lucky. It makes for a great spot to retreat after a tiring day at work and just relax, or if you're in the mood to socialize, it's the perfect spot to entertain family and friends. If you've taken the time to design a comfortable and good-looking area outside of your home, it also goes without saying that you should be in for the upkeep of all the outdoor furniture and decor in it. Here's a handy guide to make this less of a chore and more of a labor of love:
How to Care For and Clean Different Types of Outdoor Furniture:
1. Caring For Plastic Outdoor Furniture
One of the reasons why plastic furniture is so preferred is that it is inexpensive. Another one is that it is among the least demanding types of outdoor furniture in terms of maintenance and cleaning service. All you will ever need is a bucket of warm water mixed with baking soda and a sponge to get the furniture clean and sanitized with ease. Keep in mind that there is always the risk of mildew and mold, so be ready to introduce a mix of one part bleach and four parts water. This works great for white-colored furniture, whereas for other colors you can replace the bleach with white vinegar.
2. Caring For Metal Outdoor Furniture
In order to get the shine back to your metal and wrought iron furniture, you can use mild dishwashing solution you use at home and warm water. A lot of stains and minor wear and tear can be cleaned that way. Simply scrub with a brush and rinse clean with water. Properly dry with a clean cloth before you expose the furniture to direct sunlight. If you see rust on your furniture, you have to take care of it quickly before the issue escalates. Work with fine sandpaper and apply primer.
3. Caring For Wooden Outdoor Furniture
A simple soapy solution works great for wood furniture. Just spray and clean with a cloth. The same means you use in your patio cleaning apply for wood—you can effectively remove dust and dirt through jet washing. Teak furniture can be cleaned with bleach/laundry detergent mixed with water.
4. Caring For Fabric Outdoor Furniture
Do not forget about your fabric covers and cushions. It is likely that they will get dirty over time, so make sure you clean them often. Regular machine washing works well enough for them.
Want to see how to care for outdoor wood furniture? Watch this video from essortment:
If there is one thing you should know about designing a deck area in your backyard, it is that you should be careful of the furniture you choose for it. Invest in quality furniture that can withstand the elements and you will have yourself the perfect place to escape. Perfect for some peace and quiet quality time, or just the right seating for your guests on when they come for a visit. Apart from equipping the deck area with the right furniture, you also need to consider proper maintenance and cleaning. This will prolong its life and save you from potential problems, which may ultimately require you to replace the furniture and waste money on new. Follow these tips for keeping your furniture clean at all times, and you will feel a lot more comfortable with it.
Are you going to try this for your outdoor furniture? Let us know below in the comments!
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This post was originally published in March 2016 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
This is great so many ideas