Every year, I start my summer off by coveting the season’s latest outdoor furniture styles. The comfortable sofas, trendy colours, and new items fill my head as I imagine a new layout for our deck.
The only problem is that we can’t afford a new set of deck furniture every single year. So we make the most of the furniture we have until we are ready for something else.
Are you looking at your outdoor furniture and considering a change? Before you take the plunge, consider these upgrades, that are easy to do, and will save you some summer spending money.
photo copyrights to © johnbraid – Fotolia.com
Change the Fabric
If your cloth seats are worn or torn, head off to your local fabric store for an updated look. The best part about fabric stores is the vast selection. If you don’t know how to sew or don’t have the time, you can probably find a seamstress in your area that can put the cushions together for you for a fraction of the price of a new furniture set.
Add Pillows
When deck sets first came out, they were pretty bland. Outdoor living became popular and the patio sets began to improve and features like pillows and accessories were added. If you have an older deck set, you may want to look at adding to it instead of getting rid of it. As above, you can grab some fabric and padding, and sew up some pillows. Find a seamstress for further assistance.
Tip: Try sewing pillows in different shapes, and use different (but complementing) colours. This will hide any imperfections in the sewing and will give it a fun look.
Clean Your Furniture
This one sounds like a no-brainer, but cleaning furniture that is left to the elements can be tough. Dirt isn’t just sitting on the furniture, it has been baked on in the hot summer sun. To clean outdoor furniture, you need to bring out a tougher stain remover. This year, we put OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover to the test and the results were great. Our furniture looks like new again and we are ready for another year of entertaining.
While you are cleaning your furniture, OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover will also get stains out of unfinished decks.
Grab a spray bottle, some gloves, and your garden hose for this project.
- Mix 1/8 of a scoop of OxiCleanTM Versatile Stain Remover Powder with 2 cups of hot water into a spray bottle.
- Spray all over the furniture and let it sit for 10 – 30 minutes, if metal rinse immediately.
- Scrub the grime away with ease then give it a quick hose down.
In the top left photo, I let the the stain remover sit only five minutes (up to 30 minutes is recommended). Even after a short time, old furniture starts to look new.
Paint the Old Out
If your set is all metal (or other ‘paint-friendly’ material), you can spray paint your furniture. Your local hardware store will carry different kinds of spray paint and some are made for use on outdoor furniture. Change the colour, or keep it the same. You can cover scratches, rust, or other signs of wear.
Disclosure: I am an ambassador with Church & Dwight and this post was inspired by their product OxiClean. I receive monetary compensation and/or products as part of my affiliation. The article, and personal opinions are not influenced.
Sheri publishes, and writes at This Bird’s Day where she shares all of the thoughts in her head without the voices. Sticking mainly with content for Canadians, Sheri shares family stories, product information and anything that fits into her (and her family’s) daily activities.
