Patio Furniture Maintenance

Patio furniture is a great addition to your outdoor living spaces, but it can become dirty over time and will usually need cleaning at least twice a summer. You’ll also want to clean it before you put it away for the winter to keep stains from setting in for good or rotting away fabrics.

If your lawn furniture is made of aluminum, don’t use baking soda or ammonia on it as these will harm the finish and make your beautiful aluminum furniture not so beautiful any more. The preferred treatment for aluminum is a solution of half vinegar and half water. This can then be sprayed or wiped onto the furniture and wiped off again, taking the grime with it. Polishing the aluminum parts with a light non-abrasive car wax is a good way to make them easier to clean next time and help protect them from the weather as well. Most furniture will respond well to being cleaned with a power washer and if needed, a mild soap. If you don’t have a power washer, scrub the furniture with a soft scrub brush dipped into a soap/water solution. To finish, simply hose it off with clean water and let it air dry. In warmer climates, mold may be a problem especially on patio cushions.

Check with your cushion manufacturer and if they agree, use a solution of approximately 1/3 bleach to 2/3 water. Put it in a spray bottle and spray it right on the areas of mold. Let it set for a few minutes and rinse off with the garden hose. Allow the furniture to dry in the sun, which will help to kill the mold. For cushions that won’t stand up to bleach, if they’re small enough you may be able to wash them in your automatic washing machine. If not, a bath using a bit of laundry detergent in a tub of water should do the trick. After cleaning wood furniture, rub a small amount of wood preservative or light car wax on it to help protect it from the elements and keep it looking beautiful. For umbrellas that need cleaned, lay them opened and upside down and spray them with the hose and use a soapy scrub brush as needed.

Rinse them thoroughly and then turn them over and repeat the process on the tops. If possible, stand them up and let them air dry to prevent bending their rods or having them roll into the neighbor’s pool! If you live where winters are very cold, snowy and otherwise harsh, put your furniture inside during the bad weather if at all possible. For those living in hurricane areas, if a storm is predicted, put your furniture out of harm’s way, for your safety as well as the furniture’s. By cleaning, storing inside during harsh weather, and generally taking care of your patio furniture on a regular basis, it should stay looking nice and give you many years of faithful service.