It’s the time of year when we all migrate outside to FINALLY enjoy the sun. Every year it seems like summer can’t come soon enough, but there is nothing worse than having to unpack and clean all the outside furniture.
That first look at all your expensive outside belongings can be tentative as you look for any damage the winter weather has brought to your furniture. Seeing how many critters have made homes in your cushions is something we all detest!
Sometimes though, with the best will in the world, out end of summer pack up hasn’t always gone to plan. We all mean to make sure covers are on and our items will be protected, but it’s always the way that a cover will have split and the wet weather has got in. Next thing you know, it’s a year on and you want to sit on the nice chairs and use your posh BBQ and it’s damaged! We all know that feeling of dread when you find the damage and have to assess what can be done to fix it.
All is not lost. There are multiple ways to fix these expensive items without breaking the bank, which is what we like to hear!
Outdoor furniture cleaners are an inexpensive way of restoring water-stained wood. You can pick these up relatively cheaply online or in local hardware stores. Depending on the severity of the damage you can usually just re-stain the wood. However if it does need a proper clean, make sure you read the instructions as these cleaners can be abrasive, so try the cleaner on the underside of the wood to make sure it doesn’t make the staining any worse.
Metal items are more than likely to go rusty with the winter weather. Even sometimes if they are properly covered, water and dew can still get in and erode these items. The first step would be giving your metal items and wash with a smooth cloth. This is so you don’t continue to take the top layers off and leave the metal exposed, which could make the problem worse. Many anti-rust paints and anti-rust treatments are available on the internet to stop the rust from spreading and repair the damage.
If there is rust inside the BBQ, a simple strategy of turning the BBQ on to burn the bad bits off will help before following the anti-rust treatments will help. Make sure you wait until the BBQ is cold before using any cleaning or treatments. It is also important to make sure the treatment is food-safe as there is nothing worse than chemical tasting burgers!
Both of these options are fairly low cost and would save a lot of money when fixing expensive items. However, in the long term, it is probably best to invest in a long term solution. A sturdy tarp in a dry place would be the best option. Brumleve have a huge selection of tarps that are affordable and come with any attachments you may need. They have been an established company for many years and that must show just how excellent their products are!