Your outdoor furniture can be one of your most valued assets. It is the heart of your romantic evenings, family dinners, friendly gatherings, and relaxation. That is why you must maintain them. You have to clean, protect, and preserve them to prolong their life. Read on to learn more about how you can maintain your outdoor furniture.
One of the easiest and most efficient ways of ensuring that your outdoor furniture remains in good shape is to do regular cleanings. Before you start setting up your furniture, you need to make the space ready by giving its surroundings a good cleaning. And then, you need to ensure that the outdoor furniture is regularly cleaned with appropriate materials. However, this is not enough. You also should know how to protect your outdoor furniture.
You might think that rain and snow are the biggest threats to your outdoor table, sofas, and other set components. However, the truth is that even extreme sun exposure and heat can damage the material of your furniture. Thankfully, there are a few tips you can use for protecting your outdoor furniture and enjoy a wonderful gathering for many reasons, which are:
- Buy a high-quality furniture cover that is best suited for the climate. If you live in an area with a lot of rain and snow, you need durable covers that are moisture-resistant. If you live in a tropical, humid climate, you need lightweight covers that are properly ventilated to protect your furniture from mould and mildew.
- During seasons that have a lot of rain and snow, store the furniture indoors.
- To protect your outdoor pillows and cushions from water and sun damage, you have to store them in an indoor space that is cool and dry.
- If your outdoor deck or patio receives a lot of direct sunlight, you should install some type of overhead shelter for protecting your furniture from sun damage. For example, you can buy a patio umbrella, an opaque patio cover, an awning, or a pop-up tent that can be put up and taken down easily.
- Make sure that you check your outdoor furniture for signs of mildew and rust regularly. If you do find them, you have to immediately eradicate these problems before they start spreading and corrode your set. Also, look out for minor cracks and get them fixed before they grow to a point where they can’t be repaired.
- When you are not using your outdoor furniture, pillows, and cushions, it is best that you store them inside. If you use your deck or patio only for gatherings and parties, it will be worth it to move them indoors until the next event. If you don’t, the risk of damage to your furniture will increase as they will be exposed consistently to the elements.
- In case your furniture is too heavy to move back and forth after every gathering, you can use covers and bring cushions and pillows inside.
So, these were some general tips for protecting your outdoor furniture. But, you also have to follow some material-specific tips to ensure that your furniture is protected for a longer time. For example, if your furniture is made of wood or wicker, you need to select matching outdoor shellac or paint and let it dry for two days before using them. For added protection and shine, apply a coat of furniture wax. In the case of fabric furniture like hammocks, you have to use a fabric protector to make cleaning easier against spill stains. After every cleaning, you will have to reapply the fabric protector. In the case of an outdoor table made of teak wood, you have to keep it varnished and stained to protect it from turning grey, weathered, and rotting.
So, these were a few tips that will help you bring long-lasting protection to your outdoor furniture while making sure that it is functional, inviting, and safe.
