If you’re one of those lucky people who have an outdoor space with a huge backyard or a simple balcony space, chances are you have decorated the place with beautiful outdoor decorative plants and patio furniture.
While all that’s good and relaxing, you may stress out from time to time over the inevitable dirt, food spills, grease and molds which accumulate on your patio furniture. Here are a few methods of cleaning patio furniture on a daily basis to prevent the damage.
CHOOSING THE PROPER CLEANSER:
Picking the right cleaner for cleaning the furniture is equally important because you don’t want to damage the surroundings, especially plants and trees. Hence, using oxygenated bleach is the best option here because it is harmless to the environment.
CLEANING UNPAINTED AND VINYL OUTDOOR FURNITURE:
Things you’ll need:
- ¼ cup of oxygen enriched bleach
- 16 cups of warm water
- Cloth or a large sponge
- Brush with firm bristles
- Bucket
Directions:
Pour oxygenated bleach and hot water into the container (bucket) and stir until a solution is formed. Use a microfiber cloth to wet every inch of the patio furniture and wait for 15 minutes before using the firm brush to cleanse the mildew. Lastly, rinse thoroughly and let it dry.
CLEANING PAINTED WOOD AND METAL PATIO FURNITURE:
A different solution has to be used to clean metal and painted wood patio furniture because oxygenated bleach erodes metal surfaces and fades painted ones.
Things you’ll need:
- 3 tablespoons of dish cleanser (Fairy in the UK and original Dawn)
- One gallon of hot water
- Cloth or a large sponge
- Brush with firm bristles
- Bucket
Directions:
Start by combining a gallon of warm water with liquid dish cleanser in the bucket and stir. Clean the furniture with a microfiber cloth and scrub it with a brush. Use a fresh towel to wipe dry after rinsing.
When cleaning painted wood furniture, it is essential that you hand dry it because leaving water on these surfaces can prompt cracking paint.
WICKER PATIO FURNITURE:
It is important to pre-clean wicker patio furniture before getting it wet. Clean the wicker precisely to slacken the grime and dirt or just vacuum it. After the pre-cleaning apply the same methods used in cleaning furniture made up of metal. Sundry the furniture after shaking it thoroughly to drip away all the water possible.
PATIO FURNITURE CUSHIONS:
Jerk of the dirt by slapping two cushions against each other. In order to remove mud or dried substances stuck on the cushion, use a firm bristled brush and vacuum to clean the remaining dirt.
Small Cushions: You can easily wash small cushions using a washing machine on a delicate cycle with hot water and laundry detergent. Sundry it on each side after washing.
Heavily dirty cushions require additional care. Pour equal amounts of baking soda, liquid detergent and water into the spray can (1/4 cup). Blend the mixture and spray it generously on each side of the cushion, particularly on the creases and stains. Use a firm bristled brush to cleanse and wait for fifteen minutes. Rinse it afterward and air dry both sides of the cushion.
MAINTENANCE:
Since prevention is better than cure, you can spray Scotch Guard in order to repel the stains.
Clean up spills, dust and wipe the furniture with a wet cloth on a regular basis to avoid pollen, grime, and dust from damaging it.
