![]() Give them a thorough cleaning before putting them away, then they will be fresh and ready for spring. If you live in an area where you don’t use your patio year-round, store cushions during cold months. Choose a sunny day and set them on their sides to dry. Vacuum up surface dirt from cushions, then wash them with a mild solution of soap and water. ![]() Remove furniture cushions, and hose down chairs, sofas, and tables. Some professional pressure washers can wash down your exterior with solutions that have a built-in algaecide to discourage mold. Start your cleaning process by pressure washing the outside of the house, including doors, windows, eaves, screens, patios, and decking. As with other outdoor fabrics, regular cleaning will help rugs last longer. To refresh outdoor rugs, shake, vacuum, suds down and hose off. When choosing outdoor rugs, look for ones made of polypropylene, a woven plastic material that resists weather damage, and that sheds water and dirt. Other reliable weatherproof materials include marine-grade stainless steel (for appliances and cabinet hardware), recycled plastic polymers (for chairs and decking), and acrylic-fortified cement (for coffee tables and planters). Less expensive options, such as polyester, don’t hold up as well, especially under intense sun. When you cut through solution-dyed-acrylic yarn, it’s like a carrot, the color runs all the way through.” You will pay more upfront, but it’s worth it, Gaylor added. ![]() “When you cut through a piece of regular yarn, it resembles a radish, all the color is on the outside. “In these acrylics, the color runs through the whole yarn,” Fishburne said. Look for solution-dyed acrylic fabric, such as Sunbrella or Cushion Guard, which are UV stabilized to prevent fading. ![]() Performance fabrics like acrylic and polypropylene hold up well outside, while natural fibers disintegrate faster. Make cleaning easier and replacing less frequent by choosing good quality, weather-resistant materials to begin with. See what needs to be cleaned and refreshed or disposed of and replaced. Look around your outdoor space with an unjaded eye and take inventory. Here’s how Fishburne and Gaylor recommend we get our outdoors warm-weather ready: ![]() Sarah Fishburne, director of trend and design for The Home Depot, said that in Atlanta, where she lives, “as soon as the weather turns nice, and all the leaves and pollen are done falling, I am itching to give my outdoor space a big power clean.” Now is that time. And when did those outdoor area rugs get so tired? Weren’t they new just yesterday? I lift a throw pillow, and a lizard runs out.ĩ11! My outdoor patio needed a warm-weather refresh, and fast! A deserted birds nest clung in the eaves. Mold and algae blossomed on the wood trim. Cobwebs hung in the candle lanterns like vestiges of Halloween. Me and my big fat mouth, I think as I survey my outdoor living area and notice all that I’d been conveniently ignoring: The furniture cushions wore a layer of dust and pollen. Because they had come to Orlando for a conference from colder places, including Montana, Illinois, New Jersey and Massachusetts, I thought I would treat them to a spring evening al fresco in Florida. “We can sit outside and light the firepit,” I blurted to several business colleagues that I invited over for dinner. As usual, the get-together was my bright idea. Nothing jolts you into taking a fresh look at your outdoor living area faster than inviting guests over for your first patio party of the season. ![]()
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