Cleaning garden furniture
Bird droppings, food stains, leaves and sand do nothing for your garden furniture. Some people love to have a massive clean-out, but it’s definitely not my hobby. I want it all to be done as quickly as possible. Bottles of garden furniture cleaning products, that promise I have to do very little myself, are usually the ones that jump out at me whenever I go to the store. Yet still, I just walk on by, looking for a new, soft brush. After a long summer brushing out the rabbit hutch, mine definitely needs replacing.
Then, I get home and it starts to rain, so I quickly consider putting my garden furniture away without having first cleaned it. However, my moment of weakness quickly subsides when, a little while later, the sun starts shining again. With my new, soft brush, I calmly sweep up all of the fallen leaves, sand and other bits of dirt off my table and chairs
Yet, here and there, some stubborn bird droppings remain. Especially in the edges of the wicker.
The best way of removing it, is to use a soft sponge with a mild soap. First, soak the stain, without scrubbing it hard. Then, wash down the rest of the furniture at the same time and rinse everything down with a garden hose. Never use a high-pressure hose, a scouring sponge or agressive cleaning products,as this can damage the wicker. There are special wicker cleaning products which are often sold by garden centres, but more often than not, water and soap is more than sufficient.
Protecting your garden furniture
Everything is clean again and I’d like to keep it that way. As planned, I clear a cosy space in the shed where I can store my furniture for the winter. Sadly though, it is time for plan B. The shed is bursting with everything my housemates swear should be kept. So with a lot of hassle, I can wedge two chairs in there, but then the bicycles get completely stuck. What a hassle! Can’t I just leave my garden furniture outside? Yes, you can! But for the sake of longevity, a protective cover is definitely advisable for your garden furniture, so I’d better head back to the store for a cover.
However, there’s so many to choose from, for lounge sets, stacking chairs and dining sets, that for a while, I’m actually a bit dazed by all that’s on offer. Fortunately for me though, an extremely helpful sales assistant comes to my rescue, and after his clear explanation and help, I decide to go for long term pleasure. I choose a sturdy cover that is both water and UV resistant, but also special ventilation holes to allow it to breathe, as this prevents any mould forming on my set. The bottom edge is elasticated, so it’s really easy to pull the cover over so it fits firmly into place.
After a hard afternoon spent scrubbing, I feel completely satisfied, despite the fact that cleaning isn’t my most favourite hobby. Whilst cleaning, many great memories came flooding back to me, of cosy barbecues, coffee dates and the countless hours I spent in the garden.
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