Larry Pfarr, an outdoor furniture expert, shares tips on how to care for patio furniture.
- Do not throw out patio furniture just because the vinyl or fabric is a little tattered. Patio furniture can be refinished for a lot less than it might cost to replace it.
- Keeping patio furniture looking like new for a long period of time is not difficult. Just wash it down with water once a week. Dirt and chlorine will both deteriorate patio furniture.
- Don't forget to clean your glass patio table. Remove the glass top carefully, over the grass (so you won't shatter it if you drop it) and use a soft scrub brush with a mild dish soap-and-water mixture to scrub out the built-up dirt.
- 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. Only use a mild dish soap-and-water mixture with a rag to clean dirty vinyl furniture.
- Store patio furniture during the winter months by covering it in plastic, then storing in a dry basement. If it must be kept outside, cover it completely with a tarp.
- At the beginning of each season, check to make sure that none of the bolts holding the furniture together are rusty. Replace them if they are, and be sure to thoroughly tighten them.
- If the paint on aluminum furniture is in poor condition, rub it gently with a piece of steel wool .000 gauge or a fine sandpaper to smooth it out. Next, take some standard car-wash polish to buff the furniture back to its original luster.
- Wrought-iron furniture should be touched up 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 wicker furniture gets dirty, use a toothbrush and a wood oil soap to clean it. It will get into all the little areas that you might not be able to get at with a typical cleaning.
- If the finish on your wicker furniture becomes 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 a can of outdoor spray paint.
Guests Larry Pfarr
Visual Merchandising Expert, Bachmans Floral Gift & Garden Center
6010 Lyndale Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55419
Phone: 612-861-7641
Fax: 612-861-7752
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