How to Care for Your Patio Furniture

Summer time is here and I love being outdoors lazing around on my lounger. I've pulled together some great and simple ways to give your patio and lawn furniture a longer life. Don't waste your money when you can have furniture looking spectacular for many years to come.

RUST REMOVAL. Are you finding rust on your wrought-iron patio furniture or even on your iron railings? Not to worry, just rub the rusty spots with some kerosene, then lightly scour them with some very fine steel wool. If the rust is stubborn, let a kerosene soaked rag sit against it for a while. Now, to keep that rust from coming back, give the furniture a good coat of car wax. It is designed to protect the furniture of cars and works just as well on patio furniture also. I recommend for this to buy a good name brand so that the quality is top notch and will last longer.

EASY CLEANING. Almost any patio furniture, from metal to plastic and wood can be cleaned very nicely with a little dish washing liquid in warm water. Scrub it with a soft brush if necessary and then rinse it well.

CLEANING THE CUSHIONS. Follow these easy steps and your patio furniture cushions will last a long time:

1. Always bring your cushions in during wet weather.
2. If you wear sunscreen, put a towel on the cushion before you sit down. This will protect the cushion from staining.
3. Give the cushions a good cleaning once a season. I like to use mild detergent and a sponge, then I rinse them well with a hose. Most important, make sure the cushions are completely dry before you store them for the winter because damp cushions are the perfect home for mildew.