Summer is around the corner and you know what that means. You will be spending your weekends out in the backyard with your kids, hosting a get together with friends or simply stretching out on your lounger to soak up some sun with a cuppa. Basically – it’s time to get your outdoor furniture dusted and guest-worthy because it will be used even more than before.
To keep your outdoor furniture in top shape, it’s important to give it regular care. Dirt might seem like a minor inconvenience, but over time it can damage the structural quality of your outdoor furniture. Keeping your furniture clean can impact its lifespan in a dramatically positive way. And that’s important because outdoor furniture is expensive!
While cleaning and maintaining outdoor furniture is no easy feat, these tips and tricks can make it easier:
1. Use an Outdoor Furniture Cover to protect your pieces
This one is a no-brainer. When your outdoor furniture is not in use, protect it by using a furniture cover specifically designed for outdoor furniture. What specs should you look out for? Grab yourself a cover that is 100% waterproof, keeps dust off, is a single continuous piece of cover and has fully-welded sides. The sun, water and dirt can all lead to bleaching and other damage, which is easily avoided with a waterproof cover.
Hint: Measure up your furniture pieces and match them to our outdoor furniture cover range so you can keep your furniture protected against the elements.
2. Clean your Outdoor Furniture
Remember: This tip is in addition to protecting it with a furniture cover. There is an easy formula to follow when it comes to cleaning outdoor furniture and surfaces:
- Wipe down with a slightly damp or dry cloth to loosen and remove dirt and debris
- Give the surface a deeper clean with material-appropriate cleaning products
- Allow furniture to dry completely before lounging in them or covering them up
3. Different types of Outdoor Furniture require different cleaning methods
Disclaimer: Always read your furniture care instructions before using any chemicals/cleaners/soaps/oils on the furniture
Wood
Wooden furniture requires the greatest amount of care. You simply need to clean your wooden furniture with warm water and a cloth. For a deeper clean however, you can opt to use wood cleaners that are free from harsh chemicals. If you’re a cleaning enthusiast who is looking to make your wooden pieces extra squeaky-clean, a toothbrush will excavate dirt you didn’t even know existed.
With solid wood pieces that have marks, stains or scratches, you can lightly sand down the surface and go over it with a bit of oil. This is great to give your older wood pieces a new lease on life and it also allows you to change things up if you’re updating your colour scheme and want lighter or darker wood.
Metal
Rust is metal furniture’s arch nemesis. Over time, rust can create a real problem for any exposed metal surfaces and can even break down furniture. A simple hack for this is to ensure that your furniture cover does not leave any of the metal pieces exposed to the elements.
If you notice rust building on your metal furniture, apply a metal cleaning material or use a steel wool pad to keep furniture rust-free.
Plastic & Wicker
Perhaps the easiest outdoor furniture to maintain would be plastic or all-weather wicker furniture. Cleaning for these pieces is simple: After the initial dusting, use a gentle cleaner that is free of harsh chemicals. You can also simply use warm soapy water for general cleaning of these surfaces.
Upholstered Outdoor Furniture
Your washing machine is your best friend for cleaning upholstered outdoor furniture pieces. Caution: Always check product tags to ensure it can be cleaned in a washing machine. For synthetics and waterproof fabrics, wipe down with a damp cloth first to clean dirt and dust. After removing dirt, use a solution of diluted dish soap and water to clean deeply without damaging fabric.
4. Remove Cushions When Not in Use
All our furniture covers come with a warning to remove cushions before covering the furniture. If you don’t have space inside, you can always store your cushions in our cushion bag. Removing cushions protects them against the elements and also against condensation that can build up under furniture covers.
5. Beware of Moisture and Condensation
Condensation and moisture naturally occur where airflow is limited. Condensation can lead to mould and as a result can cause damage to your furniture. This is typically the case where you leave your outdoor pieces covered for a long period of time. To reduce condensation and the risk of moisture and mould build up, remove the cover from your furniture periodically, allowing air to circulate.
6. Be Smart About What You Buy
Yes, we know that some outdoor pieces are just too darn good looking to pass up on, but we highly recommend that you put some serious thought into your purchase. Think – Where will the furniture be placed? Will it be placed in the open or is it going to be partially shaded? Are small kids and pets going to be using it? Questions like these will evaluate the best type of outdoor furniture material for your use.
One last tip: After you have cleaned your furniture, don’t forget to relax on it. Preferably with an ice-cold drink, admiring your hard work.
Looking to protect your outdoor furniture? Check out our outdoor furniture cover range here!