Your patio furniture is one of the best things to have during the summer. Enjoy outdoors lounging on your patio with your friends and family. You’d want to do it again next year but have you thought about safely storing your outdoor furniture when the weather gets harsh? The approaching winter weather is harmful to your patio furniture and can be costly to replace them. Storing your furniture for the winter season will save you time, money, and effort and prolong the life of your hard-earned investment. Read below and find out how to store these for the harsh winter weather.
Preparing your Outdoor Patio Furniture for The Winter
Protecting that fancy outdoor patio furniture doesn’t need to be hard. Our guide will help you store your patio furniture easily for the winter season. An important part of storing your furniture is putting it in a dry storage space, shed, under a tarp, or indoors. If you use a tarp, ensure it’s secured tightly and leave a space under the bottom for circulation. You don’t want dry rot on your furniture! Before attempting to store your furniture for the winter season, it is essential to thoroughly clean and repair all of it. Below are some of the different types of patio furniture and how to store and take care of them.
Plastic Furniture
The number one enemy of plastic furniture is freezing temperature. Winter season will be very harsh for your plastic patio furniture if left outside. The freezing temperature will make plastic brittle and crack. It will compromise the integrity of the plastic. Before storing your plastic furniture:
- Rinse it off with a hose. You can mix 1/4 cup of laundry detergent in a gallon of water.
- After hosing down, scrub the plastic furniture with a soft cloth, sponge, or towel.
- Leave the furniture dry before storing it.
Wood Furniture
Wood furniture can degrade quite easily when left outside under cold temperatures. Although modern outdoor furniture has protective sealants to protect it from moisture, it isn’t enough when the harsh winter weather approaches. During the winter season, moisture can freeze inside the wood and cause compromised integrity of the furniture’s structure. If you’re planning to just put a cover on and think it will be fine, you’re mistaken. Wood can also absorb moisture from the air, and applying sealants and covering your furniture is best. Giving your furniture a fresh coat of paint before storing it is best. You should wash the furniture with soap and water and brush it off with a soft sponge. Rinse and completely dry the wooden outdoor furniture before storing it.
Wooden Teak Furniture
Wooden teak furniture is a beautiful sight on any outdoor patio. It has a great texture and looks but is a bit more expensive than plain wooden furniture. Although this type of patio furniture looks nice, it requires extra care. It is more water-resistant and stronger than simple wood, but it is prone to collect mildew and mold due to having high concentrations of natural oils in its structure. It is essential to clean this type of outdoor furniture thoroughly before storing it—mix 1 gallon of water and 1 cup of vinegar to wash any dirt and debris. After washing and rinsing, use a soft brush to scrub the furniture. Dry it with a soft towel to prevent any scratches. If you’re sure that it is 100% dry, you can apply Tung oil or Linseed to preserve the natural beauty of your Teak patio furniture.
Aluminum Furniture
The beauty of aluminum furniture is that it is rust-proof and will be fine when left in the rain. Most aluminum furniture has holes in its frame to drain out any water that’s been collected. When winter comes, the water may freeze and weaken the furniture frame. The furniture needs to be completely dry before storing it for the winter. You can scrub your aluminum furniture with mild laundry detergent and water. After completely drying, you can inspect for any scratches and touch it up with paint. Many homeowners apply a coat of car wax so water will slide off the aluminum furniture’s frame.
Hopefully, this gave some insight on properly storing and caring for your patio furniture – no matter what kind you have!
