When you first buy new furniture for your outdoor space, it’s clean and shiny and looks like it just fell out of a magazine. After some months of use, or perhaps a winter in storage however, your outdoor furniture might have just lost its sparkle and need a little something to make it look brand new again. Wicker furniture is a great addition to any outdoor space: it’s durable, comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and fits in well with almost any outdoor design. It will, however, still show wear over time so it’s important to take care of your investment. Here’s how to maintain your outdoor wicker furniture and keep it looking brand new for years.
A little dusting goes a long way
Like with most pieces of furniture, and other investments in your life, if you put a little effort into taking care of it then it will last much longer. You can easily maintain your wicker furniture with some regular dusting and cleaning. Wicker furniture has a lot of small crevices, so it’s easy for dirt and other debris to gather quickly in there and, if too much gathers, this could lead to mildew growing in your furniture. To clean your outdoor wicker furniture, it’s common to use a vacuum or microfiber dusting cloth.
Think about the weather
The climate in your area will definitely affect how well your furniture keeps, so this is something you should be mindful of. If you live in a particularly humid environment you might find it’s easy for mildew to start growing in the crevices of your furniture. It’s important to note that during colder weather your furniture will shrink and potentially become brittle, while in hotter weather wicker furniture will stretch out a little. If you aren’t using your furniture for an extended period of time – or even overnight – you can purchase furniture covers to protect your investment from the elements.
Perform regular inspections
If you take a quick look over your furniture once or twice a season, you can see how the weather is affecting the furniture and where it might be wearing quicker in some places than in others. If you notice a small spot you can focus on fixing it before it becomes a bigger problem, or even developing to the point you need to purchase a new piece of furniture. You might also notice if the sun is causing your furniture to fade you can purchase protection covers before the pieces fade too much.
Do a couple touch ups
After washing any removable cushion covers – always make sure to apply another layer of fabric/water repellent spray to your fabric. Applying a spray is also good after lots of use of your outdoor sets. Its as easy as purchasing some scotchgaurd from your local home hardware store, or – upgrading to a marine grade water repellent spray! Applying a new coat to your set will keep the longevity of the fabric and allow it to maintain its water repellent abilities.
Many times wicker furniture is painted, or stained, to match specific décor you might have. Over time, the finish might become damaged from use and exposure to the environment so regular touch ups might be beneficial to help extend the life of your furniture. Touching up the furniture will be adding another layer of protection from the elements but it’s important to make sure you choose the right paint or stain in order to ensure you don’t damage the furniture underneath. If you have any questions about what to use, consult your local home improvement store for some options available to you.
Wicker furniture definitely adds a lot to any outdoor space: it’s versatile and works well with almost any style décor. What’s more is that it’s pretty durable in itself, and will last for many years with regular cleaning and preventive maintenance. By taking some time now to check it over, clean it up and maybe purchase some furniture covers you will get so many years of comfort out of your investment.
