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Caring for Your Outdoor Patio
Outdoor patios combine comfort, and versatility that allows relaxation, socialization, and while enjoying the outdoors! The ability to create a personalized and inviting outdoor area makes patios a favorite feature of many homes.
However, caring for a patio and outdoor furniture in the Midwest involves addressing specific challenges with the region’s diverse climate, including frigid winters, hot summers, and varying types of precipitation.
Weller Brother’s landscape designers and HGTV are here to offer you their professional expertise to ensure your patio and outdoor furniture are maintained and cared for to optimize your next hosting experience!
Outdoor Patio Care
Not all patios are created the same; different materials need to be cared for specifically to ensure that you maintain the integrity of the paver materials. Avoid using harsh or abrasive cleaning solutions that are not recommended for your patio materials. Here are our general patio cleaning recommendations:
Recommended Patio Cleaning Guidelines:
- Remove all patio furniture, sweep off or use a leaf blower to remove debris from the patio.
- Hose down the concrete or pavers with a garden hose equipped with a nozzle that provides a strong stream of water or a pressure washer on a low setting.
- Use a mild grease-cutting detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water and a natural or synthetic bristle scrub brush to help brighten the patio surface. NOTE: Never use a wire brush as it can leave rust stains and scratch the concrete or paver surface.
- Use a degreaser made for concrete to remove oily spots, often found near the grill.
- If your patio is heavily discolored, you should call in a professional. They will apply a solution on the patio surface to bring it back to life.
Outdoor Furniture Maintenance
You should maintain your outdoor furniture to ensure many years of comfort and pleasure in your outdoor living space. We recommend that patio furniture be “deep cleaned” at least twice a year – once in the spring when temperatures begin to rise, and once in the late fall before it is stored out of the winter elements.
Regular cleaning is recommended for all types of outdoor furniture, this will minimize mildew, dirt and debris buildup.
How to Clean your Outdoor Furniture:
- Wash cushions and furniture frames with mild soap and clean water. Let cushions dry completely before placing them back on the furniture to prevent mildew from growing.
- Use auto polish on metal furniture frames to make them shine; make sure that the metal is not coated with a paint prior, as the polish will remove the paint. NOTE: When using new products on your furniture, test the product in a small inconspicuous area of the furniture prior to ensuring the product does not damage any metal finishing.
- Use a glass cleaner on glass tabletops and don’t forget to clean the glass on the windows of your outdoor lanterns so the light shines through.
- Use a kitchen degreaser on grill grates and the outside of stainless steel grills. Learn more on how to deep clean your grill.
- Open your umbrella and wash the fabric with mild soap and water, and use a household oil — such as WD-40 silicone lubricant — on any moving parts to keep them working well.
- Remove and discard any old potting soil from planters and clean the insides of pots with a bleach and water solution to kill any insects or bacteria that may have overwintered in the pots. Fill with fresh potting soil and put in new plants.
Don’t Sleep On Our Outdoor Furniture Design Services!
Whether you have an outdoor living space that is in need of new furniture or you are wanting to upgrade your existing furniture, Weller Brothers is the place to call. In addition to a free face-to-face design experience, Weller Brothers also offers outdoor furniture cleaning in the winter months for existing customers! This gives you the opportunity to put your furniture out of sight and out of mind, while having it ready to use as the warmer weather quickly approaches again.
Contact Us For Your Patio Upgrade
If it’s time for a new patio or quality outdoor furniture in Sioux Falls, SD, Rochester, MN, or Des Moines, IA, you’re in the right place.
Our experienced landscape design and furniture design teams will ensure your dream landscape project comes to life and stays that way. Contact us here to get started on your new outdoor living space!