While you may be thinking about the spring clean your deck needs now that warmer weather has rolled around, perhaps you are also thinking about how to spruce up your patio furniture. Outdoor furniture is crucial to time comfortably spent on your deck or patio! Here are some quick and easy tips about how to keep your furniture looking its best.
Deep Cleaning Process
We recommend cleaning your outdoor seating twice a year, at the beginning of spring and end of fall. You don’t want your guests to sit in dirty or dusty chairs!
Remove Debris. Brush off any leaves, branches, bark, or debris that has landed on your furniture.
Wipe it Down. Use some outdoor all-purpose cleaner to wipe down your plastic, metal, or resin furniture. If you have wood or wicker furniture, we recommend using a mild oil-based soap.
Different Types of Furniture
Patio furniture is made with various kinds of material. Here are some tips on how to clean the most common types.
Wicker Furniture
Use a vacuum with a brush attachment or a dry paintbrush to rid your wicker furniture of debris and dirt. Use a mild oil-based soap and water to clean and then let dry. Sunlight is hard on wicker furniture, so if you plan to leave your wicker furniture outdoors for an extended amount of time we recommend covering it.
Wood Furniture
If your wood furniture is in pretty good shape and only needs a gentle clean, use a damp cloth and mild soap to wipe it down. If you are dealing with stains or mold, try mixing dishwasher detergent or oxygen bleach with water for your cleaning agent. Scrub your wood furniture with a soft bristled brush. If you have even tougher stains, you can gently sand in the direction of the grain and lightly rinse with water afterward.
Metal Furniture
Metal furniture can be washed with mild soap and water. Let it dry completely afterwards. You can remove rust stains and mold with fine-grit sandpaper. Wipe your furniture when you are done and touch it up with paint if necessary.
Fabric Covered Furniture
Solution-dyed fabric is highly resistant to color fade and can withstand harsher cleaning solutions. You can clean mold off your solution-dyed fabric using water and oxygen bleach. Check your care guide before you begin to be sure.
Removable fabrics can sometimes be washed in a washing machine with cold water and soap. You can also handwash with gentle liquid soap and warm water.
Plastic Furniture
Usually plastic furniture can be cleaned with just mild soap and water. If the manufacturer allows, you can use chlorine bleach in water to remove harder stains or mildew.
Using Natural Cleaners
As we are sure you’ve noticed, the most effective way to clean patio furniture is to use mild soap and water. Dish soap solution will work well in most situations. You can try letting the soap solution sit for a few minutes if needed to remove stubborn dirt or stains. If you prefer a more natural cleaner than dish soap, you can mix white vinegar, baking soda, and water to make your own cleaning solution that will work well to remove stains and mildew.
We hope these tips will help you have your outdoor furniture looking better in no time!
