Care for Outdoor Furniture
Keeping patio furniture looking like new for a long period of time is not
difficult. Proper cleaning and maintenance will extend the life of your
furniture. Here are some tips to caring for your outdoor patio
furniture:
Wash it with a good cleaner at the beginning of the season and
then once a week squirt it off with a hose. Both dirt and chlorine will
deteriorate patio furniture.
When cleaning vinyl patio furniture, never
use a harsh brush or bleach. The brush may create pores in the vinyl, damaging
it and causing it to lose its shape. Plus, the bleach will deteriorate the
vinyl.
Check to make sure that none of the bolts holding the furniture
together are rusty. Replace them if they are, and tighten them
thoroughly.
If the paint on aluminum furniture is in poor condition, rub
it gently with a piece of fine steel wool or sandpaper to smooth it out. Next,
take some standard car-wash polish to buff the furniture back to its original
luster.
Touch up wrought-iron furniture immediately if bare metal is
exposed to prevent rusting. A rust-resistant primer on the spots will help the
rust from spreading under the paint.
Wicker furniture will stay looking
its best if it is kept in the shade, as the sun tends to dry it out. If the
wicker finish is damaged, bring it back to life by using a permanent marking pen
that matches the color to blend away the exposed areas. To give a piece a whole
new look, spray paint each piece with outdoor spray paint.
Put furniture
away for the winter by covering it with plastic, and storing in a dry basement
or garage. If it must be kept outside, cover it with a tarp. So when you?re
ready for the first cleaning of the year, you need something gentle and strong
to bring your outdoor investments back to looking like new.
For more
household tips, to see what other CLR products can do for you or to locate a CLR
retailer, log on to www.jelmar.com, or call (800) 323-5497.
Garden Pros also offers home landscaping information and lawn products to keep your home's property looking it's best.
