Prep Your Patio Furniture

Keep Patio Chairs In Tact

If your patio chair’s webbing is unraveling, stop the fraying with a match flame. One little nick on the edge of a folding patio chair’s plastic webbing and before you know it the fabric is fraying and unraveling. There’s a simple solution: Strike a match and run the flame quickly across the frayed edges. Apply just enough heat so that the material melts slightly and forms globs along the edge. Be careful not to burn yourself with the flame or the material’s hot edge.

Remove Rust From Metal Lawn Furniture

If a little patch of rust has discolored your outdoor furniture, use a metal scouring pad (an SOS pad, for instance) to scrub off the rust. If the furniture is rustier than the Tin Man after a hurricane, the quick way to remove the rust is to pick up an inexpensive circular wire brush drill attachment for your electric drill at a home improvement store. Then, wearing safety goggles, use the drill and wire brush to knock off the rust.

After you remove the rust, protect the furniture from future rust by applying a coat of primer—you can find it in a spray can for about $3—followed by a coat of rust-inhibiting spray paint.

Get Rid Of Mildew On Your Plastic Furniture

If you don’t want to sit in your molded plastic lawn chair because it’s already occupied by a lower life form (we’re talking about mildew, not a pesky neighbor), there is a quick answer: Mix a solution of one part chlorine bleach to four parts water. Wearing latex gloves, scrub the furniture with a sponge or brush dipped in the solution. Then rinse with a hose.

Make Your Aluminum Patio Set Sparkle Like New

To brighten aluminum furniture, wash it with a solution of 1 gallon (4 liters) of water and 4 tablespoons of vinegar. If the surface is dotted with tiny pits, use a soapy steel-wool pot cleaner on it. Rinse the furniture carefully to remove any traces of the steel wool, as rusting steel could discolor the furniture. Then, to prevent pitting, coat the aluminum with a thin layer of automobile wax.

Protect Your Patio Set With Covers

For better-quality outdoor furniture items, opt for vinyl patio furniture covers. Made to fit common furniture and grill sizes, these covers are water-proof and treated against UV. Look for covers that are at least 7 mil. thick. In addition to keeping expensive furniture looking good, the covers are worth the effort because they reduce the need to clean pollen, dust and bird droppings off your furniture.

Renew Patio Umbrellas

Give your patio umbrella a little maintenance when you take it out in the spring. It will reward you by looking great and lasting longer. Wash the cover with mild soap, a soft-bristle-brush, and cold water. If the frame is metal, spritz the joints with spray lubricant. If it is wood, renew the shine with paste wax.

Using these easy tips and tricks, you're sure to have your patio furniture ready to host another season full of backyard parties and get-togethers.