Even though water dirt and staining are threats to patio furniture, constant sunlight can make the fabric fade, melt low quality plastic, crack or break wood frames and decrease the integrity of the fabric. If you want to continue enjoying your patio furniture for a long period of time, you need to take proactive steps.
Protecting Your Patio Sets in the Valley of the Sun
In most cases, high-quality patio furniture are chemicals treated to increase durability by resisting fading and preventing the stains from setting in. However, exposing your patio furniture to harsh weather conditions can make them vulnerable to wear and tear. Hence, if you want to be on the safer side, you need to learn the different ways you can use to protect your patio furniture especially if you have not been doing so. These are some of the tips you can use:
- Use covers: Whenever you are not using your patio furniture or you are away on a vacation, you can use cushion covers so that your upholstery will not fade. Also, you need to use the chair and lounge covers to protect the wood from direct sunlight. The main objective is to cover the entire furniture because constant sunlight for a long period of time can cause serious damage or lower the quality of your furniture.
- Store the furniture: If you have enough space where you can store the furniture indoors away from the sun, this can be a great idea. However, you should store the patio furniture is you are not planning on using it or if you will not be around for a while. If this is the best option for you, you need to have the manpower to move the furniture and ample space in your garden shed or in your garage to store these furniture.
- Refinish the wooden patio furniture: Nowadays, there are stains that are designed to resist the harsh sun rays. Therefore, if you don’t want to cover your furniture or move it to a storage area, you can use a UV- resistant stain to keep your furniture in its perfect shape. The wood won’t be damaged nor will the colors fade even if you leave the furniture under the sun all day long.
- Avoid power washing your furniture: If you power-wash your patio furniture or use harsh cleaners, you scratch the surface of the wood thus leaving tiny cracks which lower the quality of your upholstery. Therefore, avoid using harsh cleaning products and if you are cleaning the furniture yourself, do it cautiously you avoid leaving marks.
- Clean the furniture regularly: Always use a stiff bristle brush and a mild cleaning solution to clean your furniture. This will remove all the dirt and dust that might be on your furniture and thus increase its lifespan. Sun damage can be worse if the furniture has dirt!
- Keep an eye on mold: Mold is facilitated by humid climates and they can cause serious damages if they are not cleaned. You need to keep an eye on mold especially if you leave your patio furniture outside for a long period of time. Regardless of where you live, these tips can help you take care of your patio furniture. In fact, it is not very difficult for a homeowner to protect his/her patio furniture long enough to enjoy replacing it in the future. If you follow these tips, you will definitely achieve that.
