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Cleaning Outdoor Furniture 2

No matter what your outdoor furniture is made out of, it could probably use a bit of cleaning right about now. Personally, we have a mix of different types of furniture, depending on use: oiled wood, painted wood, fabric and even plastic. All of these types require different methods of cleaning.

The first steps as outlined in my last post was to do a visual inspection and determine if anything needs repair. Now let’s continue.

Take a look and see if there is anything that can be machine washed. Perhaps you have washable slip covers, pillows or even rugs. Shake these items out and then pop them into the washing machine, following the manufacturer’s care instructions. While these items are being washed, you can move on to the next steps.

Oh, one thing about manufacturer’s care guidelines: you should read them and follow them even for items that can’t be thrown in the washing machine. Using the wrong products on your furniture can give you bad results, and in some cases, even void the warranty.

Plastic is pretty easy. Usually all that it needs is a good hose down. Stubborn stains and dirt can be eradicated with a bit of soapy water. Plastic furniture is typically the only type that can benefit from a power wash, but still use caution if the plastic is thin in places.

For most other outdoor furniture, your first step should be to do a light cleaning on your furniture by sweeping the surface using a soft bristle brush. This will loosen debris. Follow the sweeping with a little rinse of water.

For a slightly deeper clean, make your own gentle cleanser by combining mild dishwashing liquid with water. About 1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid per one gallon of water. This is a good solution to use with a sponge or soft bristle brush to get the dirt. Follow the light scrub with a quick rinse and a towel dry (use non-lint towels on prickly surfaces, such as wicker.

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About Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, online content manager, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania in the middle of the woods but close enough to Target and Home Depot. The author of many magazine, newspaper and online articles, Mary Ann enjoys writing about almost any subject. "Writing gives me the opportunity to both learn interesting information, and to interact with wonderful people." Mary Ann has written more than 5,000 blogs for Families.com since she started back in December 2006. Contact her at maromans AT verizon.net or visit her personal blog http://homeinawoods.wordpress.com