Taking Care of your Garden Furniture

Garden furniture makes an excellent addition to any garden. It can easily turn your backyard into a beautiful, peaceful haven where you can entertain guests or sneak away to relax after a hard day at work. How, though, can you care for your garden furniture so that it will endure summer after summer? Even more so, during this current economic climate. We will consider some basic tips on cleaning and caring for this type of furniture.

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First of all, be sure to clean the furniture regularly. You want to do this to prevent dirt from building up in the many crevices that furniture naturally has. Monthly and even weekly cleanings if possible are recommended to keep your furniture looking its best.

To clean it, make up a cleaning solution of a small amount of dishwashing detergent mixed with water. Using a soft cloth, merely skim the suds off the top and wipe the surface of the furniture without getting the wood too wet. To prevent this you don’t want your cloth to be too wet, just damp. You could also use a toothbrush to gently clean in between the crevices and grooves preventing a build up of dirt that can retain moisture. Aside from this, you could also rout some holes to make a fancy pattern that makes you a bit extra happy whenever you look at it.”

If your garden furniture is not treated, it is best to keep it indoors or at least in the shade, perhaps under an awning or covered porch. If your furniture is treated, you don’t have to be quite as gentle with it. In fact, to clean it, you can even spray it down with a water hose. But make sure that your furniture is treated before you do this as this could ruin untreated furniture as the wood will absorb the water.

If you notice stains on your furniture, quickly treat these so that they don’t set. Scrub them with detergent and a soft cloth to remove the stains from the furniture. You also want to be quick about repairing and protecting any damage you find in your furniture. For example, if you notice any of the wood cracking or splitting, you could apply a solution of boiled linseed oil to re-infuse natural healthy moisture into the wood. If the damage is substantial, you may need to find a carpenter or other expert to repair the damage.

To care for your furniture correctly, do an overall once-a-year clean. This will get rid of built-up dirt and keep your furniture from weakening and being damaged. You can use a bit more water than you normally do for the once-a-week or monthly cleaning. Then, the key to preventing water damage is to dry the wood as quickly as possible by setting it in the sun, just until it dries, or even using a blow dryer if you are afraid of sun damage.

You can also, at this point, apply a coat of sealant to protect it until next year’s cleaning so that the furniture can survive the winter elements. You may also put rubber feet on the bottom of the furniture to keep the feet from splitting or sitting in pooling water.

By following these few suggestions, you can ensure your garden furniture will last a long time. Saving you money and maintaining the garden you love.