Pierre Cruise

You can enjoy the great outdoors right from your own home. By building or creating an area for a patio and deck, you can enjoy the fair weather while reading your favorite book or sit under the canopy of the stars with your loved one. A simple way to make that area more comfortable is by keeping your outdoor furniture spic-and-span.

Outdoor furniture sets, especially those made of plastic and resin, are more prone to weather damage. Most of the time, an accumulation of mold and mildew would start to appear. These things are unsightly, as they make your furniture look old and dirty.

If you are currently a victim of mildew-infested plastic or resin furniture, here is a quick step-by-step guide on how to eradicate your mildew problem.

Prepping up: Materials needed

You can make your own cleaning solution, but this is dependent on the color of furniture you’re planning to clean. For colored furniture, you need ¼ cup of white vinegar dissolved in a quart of water; for white furniture, mix one part bleach and four parts water.

Once the solution is ready, pour it in a pump up sprayer. You will also need the following:
· Sponge
· Baking soda
· Garden hose
· Warm water
· Automotive wax
· Piece of soft cloth

Cleaning the furniture

After all the needed materials are ready and prepared, it is fairly easy to clean your mildew-ridden furniture. Simply follow these steps:

1. Spray the cleaning solution directly on the spot where the mildew has accumulated.
2. Leave it on for 10 to 20 minutes.
3. After 10 to 20 minutes, use your sponge to wipe away the area where you applied the cleaning solution on. Check and see if the mildew stains are already gone. If you still see some stains, repeat steps one and two.
4. Once all the stains are gone, use the garden hose to rinse the furniture. And then, allow the furniture to air dry.
5. Lastly, once the furniture is already dry, apply a small amount of automotive wax and spread evenly with a piece of cloth. This will restore the shine and the luster of your furniture. It also adds another layer of protective coat against weather damage.

Maintaining your outdoor furniture by keeping them clean will further enhance the outdoor ambiance that you are looking for. There are a hundred products out there that you can buy to clean your set. However, doing everything from scratch is much more satisfying and more cost-effective.

So get out there and start checking which of your plastic or resin outdoor furniture need your expert cleaning touch. If you can share more tips to your fellow readers, feel free to do so in the comments section below.

About the Author:
Pierre Angela Cruz is a Marketing Consultant for Open Brook , an excellent source of information and reviews about patio and outdoor furniture . She also writes for Amerisleep, a distributor of memory foam mattress.