Protecting Your Patio Furniture

Protecting Your Patio Furniture: How Zerorez Extends Its Life

Whether you want to catch a fresh breath, watch your pets playing with your kids, enjoy a hot mug of coffee, or spend time with friends outside your house, a patio offers great comfort and relaxation. That's why investing in high-quality patio furniture and properly maintaining it are vital.

Outdoor furniture maintenance can be tricky due to constant exposure to harsh weather, pets, dirt, and dust.

This write-up provides expert tips on protecting your patio furniture from harsh weather, dirt, and dust and correctly cleaning it.

We will also look at the best way to treat the patio furniture. You need to read this guide to the end.

So, how do you care for patio furniture? Find out below.

Expert Tips for Proper Outdoor Furniture Maintenance

Proper care of your patio furniture can protect it from harsh weather, dirt, and dust and extend its lifespan by several years. Not all furniture is equal; investing in high-quality, washable, and weather-resistant material could make maintenance much easier and help it last longer.

So, how do you keep outdoor furniture in good condition?

Cleaning

Dirt, stains, and dust decrease the life span of your patio furniture by causing wear. If lush plants are around your patio, you may want to clean the furniture daily, especially during the fall due to leaf fall, as they may cause contamination and dirt and dust build-up.

Food and beverage messes also cause wear if you don't clean them.

Protect the patio furniture by wiping it regularly with a damp cloth and then drying it thoroughly. After a downpour, always wipe dry the furniture using a soft cloth to prevent water from sitting on the furniture and causing swelling.

Schedule thorough furniture cleaning at the start and end of patio season. Zerorez can help with deep cleaning services!

Cover the Furniture

Always cover the furniture when not used to protect it from harsh weather. Constant exposure to sunlight causes discoloration on cushions, fabrics, and chairs. In extreme cases, wear and tear.

When rainwater sits on the furniture for too long, it causes mold, mildew, or swelling.

Waterproof and UV-resistant covers protect your furniture from moisture, dust, dirt, animal droppings, and ultraviolet damage. Covers are also good for people without enough indoor storage space for patio furniture. Use them to protect your furniture at night, during harsh weather, or vacationing.

Buy fitting covers. Covers that are too big allow small insects, moisture, and animals to sneak in. In contrast, small covers won't cover the furniture thoroughly, and some parts would be exposed to harsh elements.

Covers with straps or tie-downs are good to prevent them from being blown away by strong winds.

Use a Deck Box

Protect your cushions and pillows from harsh elements. Exposure to constant sunlight could cause the colors to fade, while moisture may result in mold and mildew growth. Cleaning pillows and cushions infested by mold and mildew isn't a walk in the park.

Furniture cushions could also get stains from animal droppings, food, beverages, and slugs. You can lengthen the life of your cushions and pillows by investing in a deck box. Store your pillows and cushions in the deck box when not in use.

Use a UV-resistant and waterproof cover to protect your deck box against UV rays, snow, and rainwater.

Protect Furniture From Metal

If your furniture has metallic parts, they'll corrode once they're in contact with water or moisture. Apply wax paste to the aluminum and metallic parts to prevent corrosion.

If some parts have rust, remove the rust before applying paste wax.

Before and after winter, oil any moving parts that hang on the metal hinges to prevent seizing.

Apply Finish

A high-quality wood finish protects your furniture from water and UV damage. The wood finish helps boost the furniture's ability to resist harsh weather to retain its original visual appeal.

The furniture finish prevents water from soaking into the wood, causing cracking and swelling. Based on the material of your wood furniture, you can apply a finish immediately after buying the furniture or at the start of summer.

Store Patio Furniture in Summer

Storing the furniture in the garage or the shed extends its lifespan.

Thoroughly clean and dry the furniture properly to prevent mold growth before storage. Based on the material of your furniture, you can use washing liquid and warm water to clean it.

Store the furniture in areas with concrete or tiled floors, not moist earth, to protect it from termite infestation.

Use Shades and Canopies

Canopies and umbrellas shade your patio furniture even when it's in use. They provide the furniture with stylish protection against wear and tear and premature aging.

Canopies and umbrellas also provide people with great shade while they relax.

Rearrange Patio Furniture

Rearranging patio furniture works wonders in ensuring even sun exposure, protecting it from yellowing, fading, and degrading.

Rearranging is a way of protecting certain furniture from bearing the impact of overexposure to UV rays and rainwater.

Use a Protective Spray

Use a spray-on protector to protect your outdoor cushions from constant exposure to extreme weather conditions. This spray protects against moisture and UV rays, helping your patio cushions retain their color and authenticity for years.

Spray-on protector also repels dirt, spills, and other stains, making cleaning and maintaining the cushions in good condition easier. Once messes occur, you only need to wipe them away; there should be no permanent marks.

Buy Top-Quality Covers

Invest in top-quality covers for year-round protection against UV rays, snow, and torrential rain. Cushion covers from Sunbrella, for example, are high quality.

Sunbrella's fabrics are beautiful and last long. They're easy to clean and suitable for all environments, including your patio. The company manufactures fabrics of all colors; you can order any color to match your outdoor decor or garden color scheme.

High-quality cushion covers can withstand harsher elements than low-quality options. They also protect your furniture from UV rays, dirt, and stains.

Deep Clean the Outdoor Furniture

Deep clean your patio furniture twice a year: in the fall before storing it away and in the spring before using it.

Deep cleaning is one of the best outdoor furniture care routines as it extends its lifespan and provides an exceptional relaxing environment.

Be careful with the products you use to clean your furniture; some could damage your upholstery. For example, avoid using abrasive cleaners, chlorine bleach, and pine oil unless the manufacturer instructs.

Never use a new product without testing it on an inconspicuous area.

Professionals should deep-clean the furniture for you as each material requires a specialized approach to maintain its quality and aesthetic.

Zerorez offers upholstery cleaning services. We can clean your outdoor furniture and floor twice yearly, and you can schedule services from anywhere in the U.S.

What is the Best Way to Treat Outdoor Furniture?

Treating outdoor furniture protects it against the harsh elements. If your furniture is made from teak, clean and dry it thoroughly, and then oil it. Oil it periodically so it doesn't lose its color and aesthetic even when exposed to harsh weather conditions.

For unfinished wood, apply penetrating epoxy to waterproof it. To protect the epoxy wand wood from degenerating due to constant exposure to UV rays, sand and finish the coat using two-component polyurethane with UV inhibitors.

Treating your outdoor wood could prevent moisture from penetrating and making the wood rot or warp. It also protects the wood from UV rays, extending its aesthetic appearance for over 2 decades.

Regularly clean the furniture using a soft cloth to remove dirt, dust, and debris. In case of an accident, Spot-clean immediately. Never use abrasive cleaners or harsh chemicals; they can remove the sealant and damage the wood.

Deep Clean Your Outdoor Furniture With Zerorez!

From our discussion above, outdoor furniture maintenance is critical in extending its lifespan and maintaining its beauty.

Deep cleaning your outdoor furniture twice yearly: in the fall and spring isn't negotiable. Let us help you deep clean it.

Zerorez also offers other cleaning services. You can request additional services when we're cleaning your patio furniture (of course, at an extra cost!).

Check out our services and call us for a FREE quote.