Top 3 Tips For Cleaning Outdoor & Patio Furniture

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There are quick, easy, and cheap ways to keep your outdoor and patio furniture as clean as new. These include the purchase of very inexpensive store-bought items. Which, will please those who may figure that spending hundreds of dollars on high-quality patio and outdoor furnishings also means spending exorbitant amounts on special cleaning products. That erroneous assumption will be proven untrue in the course of this article.

Baking Soda For cleaning outdoor and patio furniture

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This highly-effective, all-purpose cleaner can be bought in some dollar stores for 59 cents per box. And, bestows a cleaning power upon resin furniture and many types of upholstery. Which all beats pretty much all other “manufactured” cleaning products. Just wet a sponge and dip it into a dish of baking soda. Then, rub the furnishing in circular motions. Rinse well.

Vinegar for cleaning outdoor and patio furniture

Especially recommended for those who live in hot, humid climates, and also very cheap. Keep vinegar in a spray bottle and use whenever you start to see mildew and mold growth beginning on your patio furniture. Strengthen vinegar’s cleaning power by mixing half a cup of white vinegar with one cup of ammonia. And, a quarter-cup of baking soda. Mix all together into one gallon of water, and keep on hand and apply with a strong toothbrush to remove persistent mildew. Vinegar’s versatility as a cleaner may also be applied to all kinds of mesh and plastic furniture. As well as umbrellas, by mixing in a bucket of hot water. Use 2 cups vinegar with 2 tablespoons of dish soap. Also, use with a soft brush to get into grooves and crannies. Then, rinse surfaces thoroughly with cold water.

bleach for cleaning outdoor and patio furniture

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Another great way to keep plastic mesh patio and outdoor furniture mildew and grime-free is to mix a tablespoon of mild detergent with half a cup of bleach into a gallon of warm water. Scrub furniture surfaces with a soft brush, then rinse.

Other Types of Cleaning Methods

For soiled canvas seats and chair backs, remove canvas and wash in a machine (most canvas is machine-washable). Then, put back on the chair frame while still wet to retain its shape. If not removable, wash the canvas with a bar of Fels-Naptha soap. Also, use a scrub brush. Lastly, be sure to rinse well. For outdoor cushions, use a recipe consisting of one teaspoon dishwashing detergent mixed with one quart warm water and a tablespoon of Borax. Put all products into a spray bottle. Then, soak cushions for 15 minutes. After, rinse with a garden hose.  Stand cushions on their edges and dry in direct sunlight; vacuum as needed.  White plastic furniture, a mixture of three tablespoons automatic dishwashing detergent in a gallon of warm water will clean and help whiten the furniture. Colored plastic or resin furniture can be easily cleaned with an all-purpose cleaner, but be sure to rinse well if sitting in direct sunlight, as the sunlight will quicken the fading process.

If you encounter more difficult stains, don’t forget you can always consult a professional. A professional dry cleaning company will have more experience with different fabrics and how to remove stains to keep your patio furniture looking its best!

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