Temperatures are dropping and chances are, most New Englanders are not planning on spending much more time relaxing outdoors in their patio furniture. This means one of two things: it’s either time to move your furniture into storage, or it’s time to cover up your furniture with a tarp for protection from the harsh winter elements.
If you plan to take these measures to protect and preserve the life of your outdoor furniture, it’s a good idea to take the extra step to clean and repair your furniture first before packing it away. Michael Chotiner explains the best way to go about winter storage preparation for cushions, fabrics, and metal furniture in his blog sparefoot.com below:
“Cushions and other fabrics:
- If the cushions have removable covers, take them off and launder them, with a little bleach if the label allows, to kill mildew.
- Restore the dry covers to the cushions and stack loosely in a clean, dry space off the floor. If storing in an outdoor shed, you might want to cover the stack with a cloth tarp, not a plastic one.
- Wash umbrella fabric with brush and mild detergent. Let dry in open position, and lubricate switches, locks and pivots. Store in closed position.
Metal Furniture:
- Wash all surfaces with water and detergent; scrub with a brush and rinse with a hose.
- Inspect all surfaces for rust or other oxidation. If you find any, treat the area with a rust-neutralizing primer. Smooth the treated area if necessary with steel wool, then apply spray paint of a color that closely matches the original finish.
- Apply a thin protective coat of car wax to all surfaces and buff.”
If you have any questions about cleaning, have cushions or fabrics in need of repair, or metal furniture that needs professional sandblasting and powder coating, consult Chair Care for a free estimate at chaircareinfo@aol.com or click here.