Spring is knocking on our door in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, and that means the weather will soon be nice enough to spend more time outside. It may not be time to open your inground pool, but, if you enjoy time outside with your family or friends, you know how important it is to have outdoor furniture where everyone can sit, relax and enjoy each other’s company. If you have had your outdoor furniture for a few seasons, you may notice that it is getting dull and dingy. Before you spend a lot of money on new outdoor furniture, try these tips to spruce up the old.
You can mix up a batch of this basic cleaning solution for use on outdoor cushions:
- 1 teaspoon of dish washing detergent
- 1 quart of warm water
- 1 teaspoon of Borax
Mix together then either spray or sponge on to the cushions. Saturate the cushions, hose the solution off and then allow them to dry completely. Drying completely is especially crucial if you’re cleaning the cushions to store for the season – a wet cushion can lead to mold and mildew. This same cleaning solution will work for canvas furniture.
To clean your plastic furniture, mix up one gallon of warm water with three tablespoons of automatic dishwashing detergent as this will whiten up your white plastic furniture. Either sponge or brush on the cleaning solution and let it sit for 15 minutes before hosing it off. If you have resin furniture use an all-purpose cleaner, but do not use the automatic dishwashing detergent as it could fade your furniture.
Baking soda and water are a good combination for cleaning your outdoor aluminum furniture and even your glass top tables to give them a bright shine. White vinegar is also a non-chemical cleaner that can be mixed with water and used to clean most any of your outdoor furnishings. With anything that you use to clean, make certain you hose it off completely and allow it to dry thoroughly.
Before you replace your vinyl chairs, consider simply re-strapping them. Pool chair straps generally last 5 years or more before they weaken, and with a few steps you can make yours look brand new. Most of the items you need to replace the straps are right in your home. You can purchase the vinyl chair strapping in two different widths and there are ten different colors available. You’ll also need plastic rivets, fabric measuring tape and kitchen tongs, screwdriver, power drill, good scissors, and some hot water. You can easily find a ‘how-to’ video on Youtube for the assembly.
Sometimes a simple power wash is enough to spruce up your tired furniture. Often grime and dirt can get stuck on your outdoor furniture and make it look a lot more worn and old than it really is. You can use a power washer and some extra-strength detergent to get it clean and looking good as new. Be sure to spray from the top to bottom and in all the nooks and crannies.
Use outdoor paint that is made for the type of material that your furniture is made from. Certain types of furniture may need to be sanded before being painted. Most spray paints now can be used on any type of surfaces, and comes in a plethora of colors.
Before you know it, your summer pool parties will be in full swing, and you’ll be glad you tackled this project when you did.
Cleaning your outdoor furniture during the season is a must-do to simply remove any chlorine or salt and help it stay in good condition. The next time we pay a service visit, ask us for tips on keeping your furniture looking like new.
