Your pergola is a wonderful addition to the yard, adding some shade for relaxing times outdoors. Like every other structure, your pergola will need some attention throughout the year to keep it clean and well maintained. A rusty or rotting pergola is not anything you want to relax under. Maintaining a pergola helps to keep it looking nice and increases its lifespan. No matter what material your pergola is made from, we have the tips you need to keep it looking its best through every season.
How To Maintain And Clean Your Pergola?
Cleaning a Pergola
Hosing down the pergola regularly is the best place to start. High-pressure hoses will remove most of the dirt and debris that collects on the pergola. Make sure you remove any furniture before you hose it down, then start at the top and work your way down. The next step is to clean the decking and the pergola and you can use detergents and cleansers for this. There are cleaning kits with the right cleaning agents and brushes. A bristled brush will remove stuck-on grime and stubborn stains. Remove any splinters or chipped wood as well as rust depending on the material of your pergola. Mildew and mold stains make a pergola look old and uninviting. Fasteners can also get rusty and contribute to stains that are unpleasant. With regular cleaning, you can prevent these rust stains. For mold and mildew, mix a cup of vinegar, oxygen bleach, and water to create a cleaning agent. Apply this to all stains, leave for a few minutes then gently brush the stain and rinse with a hose. The weather can also be a problem for your pergola. If you live in a hot climate, the sun can wear down materials over time. Painting the pergola with heat-resistant material will help prolong its life. You should also check your pergola after any heavy winds or rain to make sure nothing was damaged, removed, or rusting. Make any repairs right away to prevent damage from getting worse. General maintenance for a pergola is pretty standard, but there are a few important things to keep in mind for different pergola materials.
Wood
Wood is one of the most popular pergola materials because of its natural beauty, but many people avoid wood because it takes more maintenance. You can reduce the maintenance effort by staining the wood and re-staining it every three years. Remove all stains, then gently sand down the wood before staining. Then with regular cleaning each year, your wooden pergola will look great all year round.
Vinyl
Vinyl pergolas are popular because they require the least amount of maintenance. They do not need to be re-stained and most of the wear and tear vinyl gets in a year can be repaired with a quick clean and rinse. Your vinyl pergola can look good all year with some soap, water, and a little elbow grease. You can use a power washer or pressure hose for stubborn stains.
Conclusion
Whatever style or material your pergola is, it is important to maintain it throughout the year. The weather and everyday wear can make a pergola look old and unkempt, thus losing appeal. You want to relax under your pergola and it adds value to your home, so keep it clean and maintained with these tips to make sure it is always at its best.
