Long Live Your Outdoor Furniture view on DESIGN
Caring For Outdoor Fabrics
By Helen Houston Creamer Whew! If we reached record high temperatures in February, just how hot can we expect the summer months to be? During the sizzling months in Southern Utah, spending time outdoors for many consists of dashing out to the driveway to pick up the newspaper. About June, we anxiously await the cooler temperatures and our ability to spend more time outdoors, but while we live in air conditioned comfort, the fierce desert sun, wind and blowing sand wreak havoc with our outdoor furniture. Before we can cradle in the comfort of cushioned seating, dining al fresco or having cool drinks by the pool, our outdoor furniture needs some tender loving care.
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There is no denying it, great outdoor furniture makes outdoor living that much more pleasurable. Buying and then keeping outdoor fabrics looking good is easy if you know the basics. Consider these tips:
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Nature is by and large to be found out-of-doors, a location where, it cannot be argued, there are never enough comfortable chairs.”
~ Fran Lebowitz American writer & humorist, b. 1950
becomes imbedded (I use a leaf blower) and wiping up spills as they occur will add years to your outdoor cushions. When more cleaning is needed, use a solution of ¼ cup mild soap per gallon of lukewarm water. Use a sponge, soft-bristle brush or cloth to apply it, allow it to soak into the fabric, rinse off all soap residue and then allow the fabric to air dry. Upholstery shampoo can be used as an alternative or cleaning solutions manufactured specifically for outdoor fabrics. Use natural solutions on resistant stains. For oil stains such as suntan lotion, rub in corn starch or baby powder, allow the powder to soak up the stain, let dry and flake it off. Or, use a paste made from fresh lemon juice and salt, rubbing on the stain, allowing it to soak in then rinse with clean water. Try a solution of 8 oz. of bleach and 2 oz. of mild soap per gallon of water on resistant stains.
Know what you are buying. Invest in fabrics made for the out-of-doors that are water repellent, UV and stain-resistant down to the actual fibers used to weave them. Recognizable names such as Sunbrella and Sun N Shade are made to endure the wrath of Mother Nature.
Don’t bring cushions in every night. Constantly bringing cushions back and forth deters from the enjoyment of your outdoor living space and is unnecessary for cushions made from true performance fabrics. Do bring them in if extreme weather is coming, preventing dirt build-up and mildew.
Keep fabrics clean. Simply by brushing off the dirt before it
Let them bask in the sun! Performance fabrics are