How to Safely Store Your Outdoor Furniture

There will be times that we have to store our precious outdoor furniture. In fact, some of the patio furniture items need to be stored during winter and rainy seasons. Though many of us don’t like moving indoors after the joyful summer, moving in and getting the furniture to safety is a great step to prepare a fresh start right away when spring returns.

To safely store your outdoor furniture, you cannot just directly move them to storage or indoors. The following tasks are necessary to keep the pieces in excellent condition.

Clean and Completely Dry
Cleaning is the most important but completely drying is a must. Dirt and moisture both invite mold and mildew that can infest your furniture. Moisture also causes corrosion and rust to metal and steel furniture items.

All you need to clean a patio furniture are basically soft brush, cloth, mild soap, and water  patio furniture.

By the way, the same task of cleaning is good for an outdoor umbrella. Make sure to completely dry the canopy fabric and frame before getting to storage.

Stain and Seal
This step applies to wooden outdoor furniture. Staining is similar to painting but with different result. Unlike painting, which leaves a thin layer of paint on top of the wood surface, staining colors or enhance the color of the wood by absorbing the stain. Colors are limited to wood tones but it is extremely great at bringing back the original color of your wood furniture without affecting the texture. If you want to bring back the original beauty of your wood pieces, staining is the best option.
After staining, it is best to apply a wood stain sealer. This preserves the stain color and protects the wood from the elements. Some sealers makes the wood furniture waterproof.

Cover
A good furniture cover adds more protection for your outdoor patio furniture against dust and dirt. Also, there are furniture covers specially made for outdoors that protects furniture even in winter. Every types, sizes, and forms of furniture have a corresponding cover for outdoor protection. Even large outdoor market umbrellas have an umbrella cover that you can use to secure them outdoors or in storage.

When you leave your furniture covered outdoors, check them day to day. Remove snow before it accumulates and makes a large mass on top. Melted snow may make its way into your furniture, be sure to remove and prevent it. It will make damage once it freezes again.