With the arrival of spring, many of us will soon be dusting off the outdoor patio furniture from storage and placing it on decks and patios.  You may be alarmed and surprised to see some powdery blotches on your precious pieces that you spent lots of money on last summer.  Chances are, this is mildew that has accumulated during the off-season months.

Mildew generally looks greyish-white or yellow in color and is probably the last thing you wanted to see on your outdoor furniture.  It is there because conditions for creating mildew are ideal for patio chairs and tables (hot humid weather and then a cool dry space during the off-season).  If left untreated, mildew can damage your furniture so you’ll want to take some steps to correct this problem.

The first tip that you should consider is that you should periodically wash your furniture at least twice during the patio season.  This either means hosing it down with a good garden hose or wiping  it down with soapy water.

For tougher stains you can apply the following technique:

• Mix half a cup of white vinegar, with half a cup of Borax and 2-4 cups of hot water together (depending on the strength you want to apply).  Use a cleaning sponge to take this mixture and apply it to the mildew blotch.  Try to rub with the grain of the furniture so that you don’t damage it.  Once done, use a water solution or hose down the furniture so that it looks like new again.

With a little care and the proper steps your outdoor patio furniture will last you several wonderful years.

Aluminum Patio Furniture At Its Best

If you’re searching for outdoor patio furniture, you will probably notice that  aluminum is a widely used material in its construction.  I’m here to tell you that there are several advantages of having aluminum patio furniture.

To begin with, aluminum is a very durable material.  Being a metal, it can withstand the rain, sun, wind and snow.  You probably don’t notice but with patio furniture being outside 24/7 it is taking on all kinds of abuse.  A hot sun, for example, beating down on metal can reach very high temperatures (try touching the BBQ lid on a hot summer day- ouch!).  And unlike wood, aluminum generally doesn’t fade in color over time.  For these reasons, aluminum furniture is much sought after because of its durability.

Another key feature is that aluminum tends to be a lightweight material.  Try lifting a patio chair made from aluminum vs. one made from wood or wrought iron.  You’ll quickly discover that there is no comparison.  Aluminum is by far one of the lightest materials for outdoor patio furniture.  This can come in handy if you move your furniture often.  Sometimes, for instance, you may want to move the lounge chairs into a shady area or over by the pool – for these kinds of situations, having light patio furniture will provide a real benefit.

Perhaps one of the most popular reasons for choosing aluminum patio furniture is because manufacturers, such as Tropitone, can create some very innovative designs.  With aluminum furniture you will find a large selection of styles and designs that best meet your tastes.  You’ll also notice that most aluminum patio furniture sets use cushions as a primary seating material.  This will allow you to customize and use your own creativity to add some color and style to personalize your backyard space.

So next time you go looking for patio furniture you may want to consider aluminum.  It offers durability, lightweight and offers many different designs and styles to choose from.

For information on aluminum patio furniture styles >>

Patio furniture umbrellas are an excellent way to add some style to the exterior of your home.  By selecting an umbrella that is the right shape, size and color you can in no time spruce up the look of your outdoor patio, backyard or pool area.  A patio furniture umbrella  also offers you some cool comfort by providing some much needed shade on those hot humid days when you’re trying to relax.  And for those times when a quick rain is in the forecast, a patio umbrella will keep you dry.

Choosing the right outdoor patio umbrella can sometimes be tricky.  A good rule of thumb is to buy a patio umbrella that is twice as large as the space that you’re trying to protect.  So, if you have a 42 inch long table then you will probably want a 8-9 foot wide umbrella.  Another consideration is to ensure that the umbrella base is well-weighted so that it is heavy enough to withstand high winds during those windy days.

To view all of the latest styles and colors in outdoor patio umbrellas, click the link.

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