How to Keep Your Outdoor Furniture Clean

Investing in good pieces of furniture is a tough job. It requires discipline, utmost care and deliberate cleaning. Harsh elements such as sunlight, dirt, mildew, breakage, bumps and scratches are just some of the few causes of premature damages of your outdoor furniture. The first step in maintaining them is cleanliness so it is important to regularly check on them to keep track of all these negative elements.

Outdoor furniture are classified by the materials it is made. They can be made of wicker, wood, steel, aluminum or cast iron, and plastics. Each of this material requires distinctive ways of caring and cleaning.


1. Wicker Outdoor Appliances 

Wicker Outdoor Appliances are usually painted with latex paints. However, as time goes by, the paint gradually tears off and the furniture began to loose its moisture which is the number one factor for it to sag. Painted outdoor appliances are easy to clean. You need a soft-bristle brush or soft dampened cloth to remove the dust or any unnecessary residue in your furniture. Then, let it dry overnight or until the next day. If stains are hard to remove, the furniture can be repainted. You can attach loose ends with wood glue and make a finishing touch using a good amount of latex paint. Make sure that the paint used matches the original paint color. For better protection you can apply an oil finish.

2. Wood Outdoor Furniture 

There are different types of wood that can be used in making outdoor furniture. To know the best suited way of cleaning, consult the American Hardwood Information Center at hardwoodinfo.com. They offer information on suitable cleaners for a specific type of wood furniture and other tips on caring for wood furniture. They are the experts for this kind of cleaning.

In polishing your wood furniture, use lint-free cloth such as cotton. Apply just enough amount of furniture polish on a cloth and rub the surface following the direction of the wood’s grain. Follow the same direction all throughout the polishing for a more defined look. Use one specific type of furniture polish on each type of furniture to prevent smudges and stains.

3. Cast Iron and Steel 

Cast iron and steel are two materials that are prone to rust and corrosion. They are often protected with paint and clear finish. You can clean this type of furniture using mild detergents. For a fresher look, you can treat it with car wax. Scratches can be hidden through light coats of paint. Some cast iron is done with “powder coat” finish. For this kind of finish, the touch-up can only be done by the manufacturer, so you better keep the calling cards for their service.

4. Aluminum 

Compare to cast iron, aluminum outdoor furniture are resistant to rust that is formed during the oxidation process. Maintaining its cleanliness will prolong the life of the coating of your furniture. You can hose it down regularly and treat with car wax for a fresh finish.

5. Plastic

Plastic outdoor furniture is the most easy and convenient to maintain. Upon purchase, you can protect stains to sink in it by applying car wax. If stained, it can be removed with mild detergent or dishwashing soap. For hard-to-remove stains, you can try 10 percent bleach solution or water with vinegar.

How to Examine for the Excellent of Outdoor Furniture

It does not generally mean that even if a furniture set is labeled as ‘outdoor furniture’ you still need to validate and make sure that it actually means what it claims, not just fall into it hook, line and sinker.
Knowing how to do so can be more beneficial to you rather than just take it for what it is.

One of the primary factors in determining a smart buy is getting real value for your money.

Here are some tips to help you check for quality of the outdoor furniture you hope to buy.

Regardless of the type of outdoor furniture that you may want to buy, it is important to always inspect in –store samples of the outdoor furniture you want to purchase, if there are any available, that way you can check for comfort or suitability to your wants.

Take note that looks can be deceiving, what can be very attractive may yet be very uncomfortable and not suitable to your comfort preferences, so better make it a point to not just be attracted by looks.

If you are in the market for wood –based outdoor furniture, try to check if the wood furniture have joints that are closely and tightly fitted, since those are the key joints that connect the wood material to form the furniture structure, so loosely fitted joints decreases the likelihood of the furniture’s stability.

This is also important consider this, especially with the legs on tables and chairs since it could get damage more easily and quickly, so the snug the joints fit without gaps, the better the furniture’s stability.
For metal –based furniture, same goes with wood furniture, but this time, make sure that the welded joints are neatly welded together especially metal joined together must be seamless and neat.

If you see any unusual bulges on thee welded joints, it can be a sign of corrosion or poorly welded metal joints, which could be a highly potential stress point for the metal set and could break out when weight is applied upon sitting.

Also check on angled metal joined together, same thing with bulges on welded parts, which can also be a sign that it is poorly welded together.
The appearance of holes in between the angles is also a sure sign of stress points.

The sure sign of a good welding process is a smooth, continuous and thorough welding path along the metals joined together.

For wood furniture, make sure that the surfaces are sanded smooth not just on table tops and armrests, but also along the legs and backrest, with painted or varnished surfaces uniformly applied without signs of drips, missed spots or ripples.

Also check the bottom of the armrests, backrests and seats, since unpainted or unvarnished areas could cause weak spots where damage or decay could start to seep in.

Make sure that there are no sharp or unsanded edges which can cause scrapes and bruises, especially on areas commonly coming into contact with the body. It can also be a cause of discomfort on the one seated or leaning on it.

Now you have an idea on how to check for the quality of outdoor furniture, so happy furniture hunting.

Converting Indoor Pieces to Outdoor Furniture

Restoring old wood indoor pieces and converting it to outdoor furniture is one practical way of disposing and at the same time gaining value from your investments. It’s economical, eco-friendly. It also gives you the chance to keep sentimental pieces. However, this process is not an easy task. It entails lot of cleaning, rebuilding, and repainting. You must also have the necessary tools in doing the job like wire brushes, stopping knife, synthetic-bristle brush, gooseneck scraper and many more. Different kinds of materials and furniture require different kinds of restoration so you must also study them.

Some people leave the task of restoration to experts but a guidebook on how-to can actually help you a lot to make things possible. First, you must choose a well-ventilated area for the restoration. It must also be scheduled on a fair weather. This will give you the convenience of much organized place to work on and letting the furniture dry within half a day up to 24 hours. You must also wear necessary protection like hand gloves.

Identifying wood can be difficult task. Some wood looks identical and even experienced craftsman can make mistakes. There are 70,000 varieties of known species of tree but generally, lumber trade classifies them into two: softwood and hardwood. For a more thorough guide on identifying woods you can refer to the book “Restoration Recipes: Techniques for Repairing” by James Bain Smith. If you had inquired the type of wood when it was purchased, you won’t need to bother on this.

Stripping solutions are harsh chemical solutions so make sure there are no kids in the work area. There are two types of stripping solutions: the liquid-no-wash stripper and the water-wash stripper. If stripping causes the wood uneven color, you can try bleaching it. After the old color has been washed out, you can start the painting process. There are different kinds of paint and each offers different results. Enamel paint gives satin, flat and glossy finishes. Oil-based paint gives wear-resistant finish.

Another important thing to consider before you start the restoration process is to identify its finish. For a thorough identification, you can test a small part, preferably on a hidden area of the furniture. Large hardware stores sell furniture finishing but few carry more than the basics. Sherwin-Williams chain of store has wider varieties of lacquers and other finishes. If you can’t still find what you needed, you can rely on mail-order suppliers.

There are number of benefits outdoor furniture can get from finishing. It protects from dirt and grimes, it stabilizes the wood and also regains fine color, texture and sheen. All woods have a natural texture depending on the size and distribution of pores. You can preserve its texture by applying a thin finish.

This type of finish has actually gained plenty of approval for many years and it is commonly called the “natural good look.” If large pores largely appear on your outdoor furniture, you can partially fill it with paste wood filler.

Choices for Online Retailers of Outdoor Furniture

Purchasing items thru the internet is the latest trend in shopping. Products range from books, cds, home improvement items and even outdoor furniture. It is important when you buy from online retailers to have a previous knowledge of the reliability of the seller. To make sure, you won’t encounter problems in online purchases, you must inquire and trust more the suggestions of top online researchers.

1. Cabela’s World Famous Outfitter 

Dick Cabela and Mary Cabela started to ran their outdoor products in 1961 from the kitchen table of their home. It began when Dick had a brilliant idea of selling fishing flies he purchased while at a furniture show in Chicago. With perseverance and dedication, their main headquarters now is about 250, 000 square feet located in Sidney.

Dick and Mary’s secret to success is from their world famous catalog business. The company produces about 100 varieties of catalogs a year focusing on outdoor gadgets, clothing and most especially outdoor furniture. Today’s top gear picks at Cabela’s are: Adirondack Patio Furniture, Pawleys Island Cotton Hammocks and Accessories, Chaise Loungers, Cast-iron Whitetail Outdoor Pub and many more. They have 29 retail stores which includes one at Winnepeg, MB, Canada. Their website is at: cabelas.com

2. Camping Gear Outlet
This company is an internet retail connection aimed at providing customers with a convenient and safe online outdoor furniture purchases. They offer different models of outdoor travel seating.Orders are accepted thru web site or toll-free telephone. They accept credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards. They also accepts Paypal, money orders and personal checks. They can be reached at 1-800-248-1987, you can call them on Mondays to Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are at Internet Retail Connection, 42548 Jamie Road, Prairieville, LA 70769. Their website is at: camping-gear-outlet.com

3. Forever Redwood 

Forest Redwood Mission is to restore old-growth forest habitat and at the same time do outdoor furniture business. Part of the proceeds from the business goes to forest restoration. They has a wide range of custom designed redwood planter boxes, benches, picnic tables, lounge chairs, glider swings, garden pergolas and many more. All Forever Redwood Outdoor Furniture promises 100% handcrafted solid redwood available in 3 different grades. If you want to go for the same cause, you can reach Forever Redwood at P.O. Box 19, Annapolis, CA 95412 or 33800 Annapolis Road, Annapolis CA 95412. You may also call them at numbers: 866-332-2403, 707-495-4955 (outside U.S.), 619-374-2462 (fax) or email at info@oldgrowthagain.org

4. Amazon.com

Best-sellers in Amazon.com are North States Industries Two-Panel Extension Kit for Superyard XT in White, Strathwood Chaise Lounge, Step 2 5A0000 Garden Hopper Mobile Garden Stool and Storage, Naturally Picnic Table with Umbrella, Little Tikes Fold ‘N Store Table with Market Umbrella and Veranda Patio Table and Chair. New arrivals outdoor furniture includes Sunbrella Deep Chair Cushions which is a padded cushion with dimensions of 3 inches height x 25 inches width and 21 inches depth. Available colors for this furniture are canvass, cocoa, country, pine, redwood, salsa, seaside and terra cotta.

5. Ebay.com

At ebay.com, sale outdoor furnitures with a span of more than two weeks are: outdoor furniture bar bistro set-table with 2 chairs, 9 piece outdoor wicker sofa sectional set patio furniture and a lot more. Deals at ebay and amazon.com are both fast-moving, so you are given less time to think over and over again the purchase decision that you have to make.

What Kind of Outdoor Furniture do you Have?

What kind of outdoor furniture do you have? This is oftentimes the question asked that helps one determine how to decorate or adorn their garden, backyard or lawn.

If your home is situated in a wide expanse of real estate property or even those with just enough open space in their front or backyard, then wouldn’t it be nice to add a bit more spice to make it more presentable or attractive, especially one that would make you want to spend a little more time lounging in your yard.

It may cost you somewhere around a few hundred dollars to even thousand, however, the choice is yours.

It’s how you want to see it and how you would want be fulfilled with what you do, the possibilities are endless and you have a lot of options to choose from.

But first, it is important to know which kinds of outdoor furniture you can choose from to not only make your backyard, garden or lawn look good, but one that will also help you make your choices on a more practical side and help you save money in the long run.

First thing you need to know about outdoor furniture is that it is designed and built to be a bit more durable and extra-protected compared to indoor or house furniture.

One of the most popular outdoor furniture in the market called wicker furniture.

This is made up of either woven strips of a durable root-based vine called rattan or vinyl-coated plastic strands, since these materials are water and weather-proof.

It can be easily cleaned using soap and water, especially one using a pressure washer, but should only be used in a low setting, otherwise intense pressure could damage the material or scrape off any coating or varnish painted on to protect it from the elements.

Another type of outdoor furniture are those made of hard wood or water resistant wood. Designs usually range from carved wooden designs for individual chairs and usually a table as a center piece to  basic bench and table designs for outdoor parties or gatherings.

These wooden outdoor furniture are usually painted with a heavy duty paint varnish to prevent water or moisture from seeping into the wooden fiber that may cause to damage it over time.

Material of choice are those made of teak or cedar wood, which can be left outdoors even during the winter, but can be a bit more expensive compared to others.

Other types of wood can also be used, however, would require a lot more time and effort to maintain and must be stored indoors to protect it from getting frozen which would cause it to be brittle or cause molds and mildew to seep in.

Another type of outdoor furniture are those made of metal, whether aluminum, stainless steel or wrought iron.

These are usually coupled with either molded plastic or wood-based accents and are a bit more easier to maintain and clean.

There are also outdoor furniture made of one hundred percent molded plastic, which would be the most affordable ones in the market.
There are a lot of designs and colors to choose from since it can easily be molded to form any shape or size desired and can costs less than any kind of outdoor furniture material sold in the market, and can be replaced easily due to its affordability.

So by now you know how to answer when someone asks you what kind of outdoor furniture do you have.