Outdoor furniture makes your garden and patio elegant. Whether your furniture is plastic, wooden, metal, glass, or rattan, maintenance is inevitable if you're looking for longevity and appeal. The fact that outdoor furniture is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions doesn't mean that they don't need care. This article will help you learn how best to care for your outdoor furniture.
1. Check for repairs and fixes
To ensure that your furniture is always in good shape, inspect to find out if you need any repairs or quick fixes like fastening bolts to avoid any fall accidents during your relaxation time. You can take them for repair or have them replaced. You can also fix wobbly chairs and tables with leveling feet.
2. Cleaning
Having a cleaning routine for your patio furniture ensures that it stays safe from dirt, debris, rust, mildew, and anything that may shorten its lifespan. Before you begin any deep cleaning on your garden furniture, always use a damp cloth with water or mild soap to wipe down excess dirt and dust. In addition, keep your garden furniture under shade to protect it from direct sunlight. Detailed below are garden furniture cleaning tips that you can use:
Wood furniture
Outdoor furniture is usually made from hardwood as it can resist extreme weather conditions, insects, and decay.
Shorea is a tropical hardwood with oil contents that make it water-resistant hence unlikely to rot. To clean it, lightly spray some water and wipe off any dust. If you want to return it to its original color, seasonally apply high-quality hardwood or teak oil.
Teak garden furniture requires a routine application of oil in semi-arid or arid areas. You can also oil it if it gets dirty from food stains.
Ipe garden furniture is made from American hardwood and requires oiling whenever it starts to darken, every three months in mild climates and more often in harsh conditions.
Plastic and hard-resin outdoor furniture
For the white patio plastic chairs and tables, mix ½ cup of baking powder with 1 gallon of water and use the mixture to wipe off dirt and grime. For the colored ones, mix ¼ cup of vinegar with 1-quart warm water and clean. If there are stubborn stains, dip a rag in white distilled vinegar and wipe them out.
Wicker patio furniture
They are of two types; natural and synthetic wicker furniture. Using a brush attachment, regularly vacuum your wicker furniture to remove dust from crevices. Where vacuuming isn't enough, use a mild dish detergent with warm water, then rinse. Sitting on it while wet can cause it to sag, so let it completely dry. Keeping your wicker furniture under the patio roof makes it last longer as direct sunlight can damage its fibers.
Metal outdoor furniture
Cover your metal furniture when it’s not in use, and during the offseason, keep them indoors for sunlight and element protection. Regularly clean and wax the painted tips for longevity.
3. Off-season care
When the sunny weather comes to an end, it's a good idea to keep your patio furniture indoors to protect it from snow and freezing weather that can shorten its lifespan. Alternatively, you can cover your patio, chairs and tables with tarps covers during winter.
Endnote
Outdoor furniture gives an appealing look to a home. Properly maintaining it accentuates your indoors and keeps it ready for use at all times. These tips will help you take better care of your garden furniture and increase longevity.
