Wednesday, February 13, 2013

How do you clean outdoor furniture pads that are not removable?

Q. We have outdoor wicker furniture on our screened in porch. They have white cushions which have become dirty and stained from polen, cats, etc. Won't spot cleaning leave only patches whiter than the rest?

A. I am in the furniture industry and the cleaning will depend on what type of fabric the cushions are made out of. If they are micro fiber or durapella, you can use a very mild soap like neutrogena acne soap ( liquid ). You might also try to use a product called unbelievable. You should be able to get this at any type of cleaning supply store or even a carpet store. I have used it several times!! If you have a tag on the cushion, please let me know the brand of furniture and the cleaning code and I can get you the exact reccomendations from the manufacture.

Outdoor furniture question?
Q. I'm looking for outdoor furniture for the patio and have found a set that I really like and is reasonably priced. It is made of kiln-dried hardwood, not teak, so I am wondering how bad it is to leave some of it outdoors over the winter. We live in CT so winters can be bad here. While I will probably be able to store some of it indoors, I'm just not sure if we have room to move everything indoors for the winter. I would obviously cover everything with furniture covers if left outdoors, but it would likely sit in some snow at some point. Will it be destroyed? I'm going to look for other options if you all think it's a bad idea. Thanks in advance for your advice!
I would take it inside as I know that would extend the life of it, unfortunately, that just isn't an option for me...we just don't have room for it. We are trying to build a shed for some of it but the town is giving us grief...that's a whole other story though...so I'm not counting on that as a storage space as of now.

A. I would go ahead and get the furniture and then coat it with maritime epoxy.

What you do is take two seperate portions and mix them together and apply it with a brush. Once it hardens it forms a clear plastic like layer and will keep all of the moisture and water out. This stuff is used to seal wooden boats so the wood doesn't wear out from being in the water. It is fairly expensive, around $50-$100 a gallon so plan your job accordingly. If you've ever been to a restaurant or bar that has wooden tables with pictures and coins and crap sealed under "plastic like" stuff on the table top, this is what that is. I would recommend using this same stuff on anything wooden that you plan to keep outside year round. Call a few of your local boat dealers/repair places and I'm sure they will be able to lead you where to go for it. I'll paste a link to a PDF that helps explain what I'm talking about.

I want some really comfortable outdoor furniture?
Q. I've been looking at all sorts of home stores at all-weather patio furniture. I have found styles I like, but when I sit on them they just aren't comfortable. Or the style is awful, but seats like a nice indoor leather sofa. Anyone have outdoor furniture that just makes you saw "ahhhh" when you sit down? I use my patio after work to relax and would like an "ahhhh" style couch/love seat and a couple of chairs.

A. Those sets of plastic wicker with cushions made of weather resistant material are pretty good if you find one of good quality but the most comfortable outdoor seating I have found are those round multi position loungers. You can sleep on them. Can be found at most patio furniture stores, at least in my area. Hope you are as fortunate.




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