Garden furniture is exciting. That’s not a sentence you will hear every day, but it’s true. It’s like you have been given a new living room or dining room, and you can furnish it and decorate it any way that you choose. We’ve all felt those initial pangs of excitement upon first moving into a home with a garden. The problem is that those feelings usually fade shortly after we buy the cheapest furniture we can find and helplessly watch as it turns into a rusted, dirty, waterlogged mess during the first Fall or Winter. Buying a high-quality set of garden furniture can fix most of these issues, as they’re made from materials that are designed to withstand rain, sleet, snow, and whatever else the weather throws at them. But you can also take some extra steps to protect your patio furniture, keeping it clean and stable all year long and ensuring that it doesn’t capitulate at the first sign of rain. Whether you have the latest set of luxury tables and chairs from Finch or some outdoor furniture that you cobbled together from old chairs and sofas, the following tips will keep them protected.
Clean Your Furniture Regularly
The first step to keeping your outdoor furniture in top shape all year long is to clean them regularly. During the winter, cushions and covers soak up a lot of moisture and while this eventually dries and dissipates, it could leave mold and mildew behind. If left to fester and grow, mold can do some serious damage to your patio furniture. By the time Spring arrives and you settle down for an evening in the garden, you may discover that billions of harmful bacteria have set up home. And that’s just the stuff that you can’t see, as unwashed patio furniture can also attract insects and critters. Once the seasons have taken their toll on your formerly pristine furniture, you’ll be ready to whip out the flamethrower and burn them to ash. Before you start using your patio furniture again, remove the covers and wash them. You should also give the furniture a wipe and a polish every now and then. If you throw a backyard party, grab a sponge and soapy water and give them a quick clean once everyone has gone (or the next morning, when the alcohol and hangover have worn off!). If you live in a very wet climate, pick up some Scotchgard to keep the moisture and mildew at bay. It won’t last forever and it won’t protect you against all weather damage, but it’ll certainly take the edge off.
Use Patio Furniture Covers
Water-resistant furniture covers will protect your chairs and tables from rain, snow, and even UV damage. Simply slip on the cover whenever they’re not in use, and when you’re ready for a summer BBQ or a glass of wine on those balmy Spring nights, just whip off the cover and you’re good to go! Make sure you buy covers made from heavy-duty fabric that is fade, tear, and water resistant, and you can use them for years to come. The price of furniture covers, just like furniture itself, can differ considerably. Don’t buy the cheapest cover that you find, as it won’t do anything to protect your furniture. Pay attention to the material, thickness, and size.
Store Your Furniture During the Winter
If you can’t buy a cover, consider storing your furniture instead. Just bring it instead when the weather is bad and keep it there until you need it. You should also store it away during heavy storms, as even a cover can’t help you when there are hurricane-force winds ripping through your yard. Of course, space comes at a premium in most American homes and if you’re anything like the average homeowner, every inch of real estate will already be filled with old toys, unwanted musical instruments, and clothes you haven’t worn in 20 years. Some outdoor chairs and tables can be folded away for easy storage, which certainly makes things easier. But you’ll still need a little garage or shed space. The ones that can’t be stored away with ease are often made from materials that are weather-resistant, so you don’t need to worry too much about hiding them from the elements.
Buy a Patio Awning or Umbrella
It’s not just rain that you need to think about. The sun can do just as much damage to your furniture, if not more so. It’ll also leave you with a nasty burn if you spend all afternoon sitting under the searing sunshine. An awning attaches to the wall of your house. It will cover your patio and should provide protection to your furniture, preventing it from fading due to UV exposure. For the best of both worlds, look for a retractable awning, as it will open and close as needed. If the sun is unbearably hot and you need a little cover, you’re just a button-press away. When the sun is low and you want to soak up as much of those rays as you can, simply retract and enjoy! If your outdoor furniture is further away from your house, consider an umbrella instead. Just pop it through your patio table and it will provide cover for the table and surrounding chairs. The problem with umbrellas is that they’re only as strong as the table. They’re great for keeping the sun away, but if you leave them out during a storm, they’ll take off like a child’s trampoline and will be halfway down the block before you realize. After your umbrella has been on a spin around the block, don’t forget to clean it. You should also clean it at least a few times a year, either by removing the fabric and putting it through the wash, or by giving it a quick blast with a vacuum.
Use UV-Resistant Paint
UV-resistant paint will protect your furniture and patio from sun damage. Exposure to sunlight can cause your furniture to crack, peel, and fade. It’s gradual, and it’s generally not something that you need to worry about from one day to the next, but if you’re hoping to keep your furniture for the long haul, look for enamel paint. Enamel paint is often sold in paint tins and sprays and it can be used inside and outside the home, coating wood, concrete, and metal. You can find bottles of enamel paint in your local hardware store and it’s also sold on Amazon.
Anything Won’t Do
Pressure washers are great for removing dirt and grime from your car or driveway. It’s a fast and efficient way to clean, but it’ll do more harm than good when used on patio furniture. The force of the water could strip the paint away and remove any protective layers applied to prevent weather damage. Unless your patio furniture has been caught in the middle of a mudslide and is covered with caked-on dirt, you should give the pressure washer a miss. You also need to make sure that the cleaning agents you’re using are actually suitable for the furniture material. Plastics are less suited to abrasives than metals; you can’t polish and protect wicker in the same way as wood. Wood and wicker as best suited to oil-based soaps while white plastics can be cleaned using detergents that contain a little bleach. There is no one-size-fits-all cleaning solution for outdoor furniture, so don’t throw away those care instructions.
Remove Rust First
If you’re cleaning metal furniture that hasn’t been properly maintained, there’s a good chance it will be coated with rust, and this needs to be removed before you start cleaning. Steel wool and a little elbow grease will suffice for most rust. You can also use sandpaper, beginning with coarse grit and moving onto a finer grit to finish it off. If that doesn’t work, it’s time for the big guns. Heavy rust may require a grinder and/or chemical removers. It’s a messy process and it can also be dangerous, so do your research first and make sure you’re properly protected before you begin. You need to remove the rust before you can paint or clean metal furniture.
