Cleaning Patio Furniture

Part of spring cleaning in our household includes removing our patio furniture from storage and cleaning it before using it on our back deck. Since patio furniture can cost quite a bit of money, replacing it every spring would be a foolish waste of money. Instead, clean your patio furniture following these tips to keep your furniture looking new over many seasons.

Whether your patio furniture is made of wood, aluminum, wicker, plastic, resin, cloth, or stone, you need to find a cleaner that is safe to use for your furniture composition. Visit your local home improvement store and read the product labels to determine which cleaner will work the best. Some of the things you might use to clean your patio furniture are:

• Large sponges and several rags
• A garden hose and a large bucket
• Dish detergent or furniture cleaner
• Warm water
• A broom
• A soft scrubber

Once you have all of your cleaning gear in a central location, pull your patio furniture from storage and brush it completely with your broom. Make sure that you turn over each piece and brush away all debris including spider webs and cob webs. Once you've brushed your furniture, spray it with your water hose. If you have furniture with cloth attachments, use your warm water, sponges, and rags to wet the furniture, taking care not to wet the cloth.

Apply the furniture cleaner to your wet rags and sponges, and be sure to clean all of the nooks and crannies. Some furniture cleaners require you to dilute their formula with warm water. Always follow the manufacturer's directions.

Wrought iron furniture often requires scouring with a wire brush to remove rust. Once you've removed all of the rust, brush the furniture with your broom and then perhaps apply a cost of gloss spray paint formulated especially for wrought iron furniture.

After you've cleaned your furniture with water and cleaner, rinse it by spraying with your water hose, and allow the furniture to air dry. If you have wicker patio furniture with spots of mold, use a stiff toothbrush and a paste of baking soda and water to remove the mold, and then spray the furniture clean with your water hose.

Be aware that colors in plastic and resin furniture will fade if left in the sun too long. If you choose to use plastic or resin patio furniture, make sure that you place it in partial shade. If you don't have shade trees, use a table with an umbrella to shade your furniture.