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Cleaning Your Outdoor Furniture for Winter Storage

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Winter is short here in Jacksonville, Florida, but the temperature can still dip pretty low.  During these cold weeks or months, it’s best to clean your patio furniture and move it to a storage location to make sure it stays in good shape for when the warm weather returns.  

To begin with, nearly any type of outdoor furniture can receive the following general cleaning:

  1. Wipe down each piece of furniture with a soft, dry towel.  This will remove the majority of loose dirt, leaves, and other debris that will have collected on your furniture while in use outdoors.  
  2. Make a simple, homemade cleaning solution to help with any residue or buildup, including mold, mildew, and mud.  Mix no more than a tablespoon of mild dish detergent with 1 gallon of warm water, and you’ll have a solution that is gentle yet effective, and able to be used on almost any type of furniture.  Remember to check the manufacturer’s guidelines for your furniture to make sure this mixture is safe for the type of material it is.  
  3. Make sure the surface is then properly rinsed and thoroughly dried.

Depending on the material of your deck furniture, give the piece a more thorough clean, as follows:

  • Metal: Wrought iron furniture is sturdy, but is still susceptible to rust when exposed to moisture.  Remove any rust that has accumulated by gently dry-scrubbing with a soft, wire brush or lightly sanding the rust away and wiping it clean.  Aluminum furniture can be washed using the dish detergent solution described above, then thoroughly dried.  If possible, store metal furniture indoors, but if it must be kept outside, cover all pieces in a heavy duty tarp or cover.
  • Upholstery: Fabric cushions and padding and other upholstery needs to be properly cared for before being stored.  Acrylic fibers are designed to deter mildew and mold, but can still acquire some buildup, especially in climates that are generally warm and wet, such as ours.  Give each cushion a good shake to rid it of dust, and vacuum any cushions or areas that are especially dusty or dirty.  If you have a fabric umbrella, shake it out and wipe it down.  Examine the umbrella to make sure no insects have built nests in any of the folds during recent months.  Clean all surfaces, even the umbrella fabric, with the dish detergent solution and allow it to dry.  If it is to be stored, all fabric, and in particular anything with foam padding, must be stored in a dry space to prevent mildew from growing on it.
  • Plastic: Plastic needs little special attention.  Once you’ve wiped it down with a dry cloth, and cleaned it with the dish detergent solution, hose it off with your garden hose and towel it dry, and it’s ready for storage.  Plastic can become brittle in extreme weather, so it does need to be stored inside, or at the very least, covered with a vinyl or plastic covering.
  • Wood: Painted wood will fade, and natural wood can warp and splinter in extreme weather.  Wicker and rattan furniture is delicate, and cannot withstand the winter weather.  Wipe down all wood furniture with a soft towel.  If possible, moisten the towel with a small amount of the dish detergent solution in order to scrub away buildup.  Be sure this solution is thoroughly removed and that the area is completely dry.

With the right precautions and cleaning, your outdoor furniture will remain in great shape for many future seasons of use.  However, it’s still a good idea to call on the best furniture refinishing service in your area when the time comes to refresh or repair your patio furniture.  Jax Furniture Refinishing & Upholstering is the best furniture refinishing service Jacksonville FL homeowners choose.  We specialize in making outdoor furniture look beautiful, whether that means repairing it, refinishing it, or upholstering its cushions in a brand new, exciting fabric.  Call on us to clean and prep your furniture for storage, and then to revitalize it when winter is over!  

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