Easy everyday hacks to look after your garden furniture
It’s finally the right weather to break out the garden furniture, relax and enjoy the summer weather. With children off school and the longer days and evenings, you will want to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour in the garden and entertain family and friends.
As with all things, your furniture will need some TLC to keep it looking its best so the team at Gardenesque have these easy hacks you can use to simplify your gardening life so you can spend more time enjoying the outdoors.
Cleaning your furniture
While our Paxton rattan and Repton wooden garden furniture is made from durable materials that can withstand the UK weather, we still recommend maintaining your garden furniture to preserve it for years to come.
The best time to clean your outdoor furniture is early in the autumn season on a dry and sunny day before the frost comes in. Brush down furniture with a soft hand brush to get rid of general garden debris. Using a soft sponge and warm, soapy water to give your furniture set a gentle wipe down.
Olive oil is good for cleaning rattan as it will keep patio furniture from drying out and cracking. Using a soft sponge or cloth, use olive oil sparingly and rub over the furniture to buff it back to brightness and give your set its shine back.
When cleaning your wooden sets, try not over saturate the furniture with water though as this will need to dry fully before going into storage to avoid causing any rot. For pesky water stains caused by cups or bottles, why not try dabbing with a little mayonnaise overnight, before wiping clean the next day. We also recommend treat hardwood garden furniture with wood preserver after it’s been cleaned.
White vinegar can be used in a variety of cleaning tasks around the home, but it can also help to remove rust too. Mix 50ml of vinegar with 1L of warm water and wipe down furniture nuts, bolts and joins, before hosing off to reveal their original metal sparkle.
Let us inspire you with our range of gorgeous Garden Furniture, perfect for making your outdoor living area the place to be when spending time with family and friends.
Make your own furniture covers
Making your own outdoor furniture covers allows you to create a tailored fit and customise to your taste or the vibe of your garden.
Your homemade outdoor furniture covers will fit securely over your furniture while protecting it from heavy wind, rain, snow and prolonged sun exposure.
They can be crafted from water resistant or weatherproof PVC vinyl material which you can buy off the roll from your local fabric store, whilst outdoor tablecloths or car covers are also ideal for you to weave your magic.
Covers also need a general clean however, which we recommend doing once a year, removing the main cover and cushion covers and putting them in the washing machine should be sufficient.
If you do use a cover, be sure to regularly lift and waft the cover to allow air circulation. This will prevent condensation from forming, which can lead to mould and mildew growth.
Re-light your fire
Now the weather is getting better and the evenings are longer, a fire pit is the perfect addition to your socialising area.
Steel fire pits have a long lifespan, need minimal maintenance and are designed to stay outdoors throughout the year. The more you use your steel fire pit, the more beautiful it becomes as it will naturally age and develop a mature patina effect.
However, if you wanted to remove rust from an outdoor fire pit quickly and easily, baking soda is the answer.
Before reaching for the harsher chemicals, try this hack as baking soda is non-abrasive, allowing for the rust to be lifted gently thus keeping your fire pit in great condition.
