Caring for your outdoor furniture
Tired of having to replace your outdoor furniture every couple of years because it has been worn down by bad weather? By taking proper care of your outdoor furniture you can increase its life and help keep money in your pocket book. Here are some ideas about how to properly care for your outdoor furniture, no matter what type.
Plastic outdoor furniture:
Cleaning plastic outdoor furniture is relatively simple. All you need to do is mix dish soap and water together in a bucket, dunk a cloth into the bucket and wring out the excess water, and then wipe down the furniture. To rinse off the soapy water simply turn on your hose and spray it down. If some spots are hard to remove like crayon or marker you can try using Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove the marks. If your furniture is scuffed or stained you can repaint it using some touch-up paint that is made for plastic. Because the furniture is plastic you do not have to worry about covering it or bringing it indoors in the winter. But to help clean up your patio or porch you can stack the chairs so that they take up less room and look neat.
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Wicker outdoor furniture:
With wicker outdoor furniture you are going to need a mild oil-based soap, such as Murphy Oil Soap. To wash the furniture you need to mix the soap with some water and use a soft bristled scrub brush. Dip the scrub brush into the bucket of soapy water and gently scrub your furniture. To rinse off the wicker furniture simply use the hose and spray your furniture. To help keep your furniture clean during use you should rinse off your wicker furniture with your hose every few weeks or immediately if something is spilled on it. Because weather conditions can harm wicker furniture you should bring it in for the winter or you can cover it with vinyl furniture covers. The covers will keep your furniture dry, which will prevent any type of damage from weather.
Wrought-Iron outdoor furniture:
This type of furniture is cleaned in a similar way to plastic outdoor furniture. In order to clean your furniture you will need a clean cloth, mild dishwashing detergent, and some water. You will need to mix the dishwashing detergent and water together in a bucket and then use the cloth, making sure it is damp not dripping, and wipe down the furniture. To rinse the soapy water off the furniture simply spray it with your hose. Keep in mind that wrought-iron furniture can rust in bad weather, to prevent this either cover the furniture or bring it inside for the winter. If your furniture does rust you can remove the rust by lightly sanding the area, cleaning it with a damp cloth, and then repainting the area using touch-up paint. Some manufacturers will include touch-up paint with your purchase or you can talk to your local hardware store for a suggestion on what paint is best.
Aluminum outdoor furniture:
To clean your aluminum furniture you will need to use a mild dishwashing soap and water mixed together, and then using a damp cloth wipe down the furniture. If you have scuff marks you can use a damp cloth with a tiny amount of Soft Scrub, do not use abrasive cleaners or brushes because it will scratch the furniture. After cleaning the furniture you will need to rinse it off with your hose. You will also need to protect the finish and the shine on your furniture, to do this simply apply baby oil to your furniture with a soft cloth every two to three months and let it air dry.
Wooden outdoor furniture:
As long as your wooden furniture has an exterior-grade varnish applied to it you can wash your furniture with soap and water, but be sure to thoroughly rinse off the furniture after cleaning, as soap can soak into the wood. Because of the damage that bad weather can do to wooden furniture it should be stored indoors.
Fabric furniture:
This would include hammocks and cloth covered chairs. You should wash these in your washing machine on the gentle cycle and hang them outside to dry. To help prevent your cloth furniture from shrinking you should stretch it back over the frame before it dries completely
Umbrellas:
After storing the umbrella for the winter you will need to oil the joints in the umbrella and wash the covers. To wash the covers use a soft-bristled brush and a bucket of cold water mixed with mild soap. If your umbrella has a wooden frame you should use paste wax to restore its shine.
