Tips to Clean and Maintain Your Patio Furniture

It’s the dream of many to have their own patio, backyard garden, or a terrace. It’s a place where you can unwind and relax after a hard day or spend time with your family and friends over a weekend. Either way, this area of your home offers ample opportunities to enjoy yourself and create wonderful memories. However, for this, your patio, terrace, or garden needs to have an aesthetic appeal and a feel good factor. You can get all of this through a comfortable and neatly arranged patio furniture. Wicker patio furniture and aluminum patio furniture are some common choices as they look beautiful and yet are robust and weather resistant. However, all this needs to be maintained well and properly cleaned for a long operational life and preventing wear and tear. This post offers tips to clean and maintain your patio furniture.

How to Have a Well Maintained Patio and Garden?

Well-manicured lawns, plants, and comfortable furniture is what you need for a beautiful patio. As this is a place where you and your guests can sit comfortably and chat over breakfast or dinner. If you frequently host parties and events, you should pay extra attention towards maintaining your sofa, dining sets, cushions, and so on. Here are some tips for cleaning:

• Patio furniture cushions: If you have removable cushion covers made of natural fabric, you can simply clean them in a washing machine. If you have synthetic leather cushions, you can simply wipe them with a cleaning agent mixed in water. However, if you have fabric cushions which cannot be removed, you can use a teaspoon of detergent powder along with the same amount of sodium borate in warm water. Scrub the cushions well after applying this detergent solution, and rinse them well with water using a hose. Keep them in a standing position to allow drying. Occasionally, you can simply run a vacuum cleaner to collect the duct off the cushion surfaces.

• Rattan furniture: This can be easily cleaned with a sponge dipped in a mild soap and water solution. Rinse it with the help of a hose, and dry thoroughly well. Do not use harsh chemical based detergents as they can damage the color and finish of your furniture.

• Aluminum patio furniture: Regular dusting is an effective solution to keep your furniture clean; however, once in a few months, it should be deep cleaned. Aluminum furniture is usually powder coated and hence has anti-rust properties. So, occasionally, it is safe to clean it with water. You can mix a quarter cup of some mild cleaning agent such as lemon juice or baking soda in a bucket full of water to wash your aluminum patio furniture. Pat dry and ensure you thoroughly dry the etched surfaces as they are hard to clean by just dusting. Also, water and soap can stay accumulated in such hard-to-clean areas and damage your furniture.

• Resin wicker furniture: This material is relatively more resistant to light and moisture. However, regular maintenance and periodic deep cleaning is still essential. You can clean this with a mild soap and a bucket full of warm water. Dip a sponge in this solution and rub gently on all sides. Rinse with water and dry it with a vacuum cleaner. Use a mild cleaning agent to clear off mildew and hard stains.

Some Other Common Cleaning Tips

Here are some common tips for regular cleaning and maintenance.

• Dust your furniture every day with a napkin or static duster. Dry dusting removes the dirt that accumulates on metal and wicker pieces.
• It is always a good idea to cover your furniture when not in use or during rains. It increases their service life by avoiding constant contact with sunlight and moisture.
• You may even want to paint or polish it on a yearly basis.
• When deep cleaning, use a soft-bristled brush to avoid damage, depending upon the furniture material. You can clean the table umbrella in a similar manner.
• If you have stones and tils in you can clean them with mild vinegar on a weekly or biweekly basis.
• Take care to keep the furniture in an upright position when drying.
• Avoid keeping your furniture outside if you live in cold regions to prevent exposure to snowfall. If you have an extra room to dismantle and store your furniture, do this exercise every winter. If you do not have the required space, there are businesses which rent spaces to safely keep your furniture during winters.

If you plan to buy patio furniture, there is a plenty of variety available in the market, such as rattan patio furniture, aluminum patio furniture, cushions and their covers, and so on. However, ensure you source it from a reliable supplier or manufacturer directly. Gardennaire is a trusted supplier of a variety of patio furniture pieces and décor items which help you realize your dream of a lively and beautiful patio, backyard garden, or terrace.