Spending leisure outdoor time in your garden with your family seems like a good idea until you see dust and grime covering your mesh patio furniture. As sturdy as mesh furniture is, it gets dusty fast, whether outside or in storage, which can be inconvenient if you have guests coming over. However, we have a solution for you!
We’ll tell you how to clean patio furniture mesh thoroughly, so let’s get to it!
How to Clean Patio Furniture Mesh
Whether you have plastic or fabric mesh furniture, cleaning it won’t take you more than 30 minutes, thanks to our quick and easy guides.
Plastic Furniture
To leave your plastic furniture mesh all clean and shiny, you’ll need these tools:
- Scrub brush
- One gallon of water
- Half a cup of bleach
- Spray bottle
- Clean rag
Start by grabbing the scrub brush and cleaning the surface of your plastic furniture to remove any visible dust particles or mildew. Because of the mesh’s interlaced pattern, this step might be a bit challenging. However, it’s fine if you leave some dust behind as you’ll use water and bleach later.
Next, mix the two liquids in the spray bottle and do a quick spot test on your furniture to make sure the bleach doesn’t discolor it. You can spritz a few drops on a hidden area and see what happens. If the color doesn’t change, spray a generous amount of the mixture on the rest of the furniture.
Let the mixture settle on the mesh for a few minutes, then grab a clean rag and wipe the remaining dirt. You may have to repeat this step if your furniture is entirely covered in dust. Once it’s all clean, grab your garden hose and water down all the chairs and sofas to wash away the bleach.
Leave the furniture in direct sunlight till it’s all dry, then you can use it.
Fabric Furniture
Because fabric mesh is less sturdy than plastic, you won’t use bleach to clean it. Instead, you’ll need the following:
- Scrub brush
- One liter of water, preferably warm
- One liter of dish soap or shampoo
- Large bowl
- Sponge
Like with plastic furniture, the first step in cleaning fabric mesh is to scrub it with a brush to remove dust and mildew. Then, pour the dish soap and water into the large bowl and mix them so that they create bubbles.
Soak the cleaning sponge in the bowl and use it to scrub all of your fabric furniture clean. This step might take you some time because the fabric is more challenging to clean than plastic. However, thoroughly cleaning it is a must to prevent the growth of mildew.
After you finish, give the furniture a quick rinse using your water hose. Then, leave it in the air and sun for a few hours or till it’s completely dry.
How to Clean Patio Furniture’s Frames and Arms
Now that you cleaned the mesh part thoroughly, it’s time to clean the frames and arms to leave your outdoor furniture spotless.
If you have wooden frames, you can use a mixture of ammonia and warm water. But don’t use more than a quarter a cup of ammonia, and make sure it isn’t too concentrated. Spray the mixture on a cleaning rag and wipe the wooden parts clean.
If you have metal frames, you won’t be able to use ammonia because it can cause rusting. Instead, you can use a mixture of dish soap and water. After you wipe the frames and arms clean, wipe them again with a dry cloth to avoid leaving blotches of liquid on them for too long.
Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Patio Furniture Mesh Clean
Although mesh furniture will inevitably get dirty, you can follow these guidelines to keep it clean for a longer time:
- Give it a deep cleaning session every four months
- Store it indoors during the colder seasons or if you travel for a long time
- Treat the metal or wooden parts with a waterproof material
- Cover the furniture with a protective cover when you aren’t using it
- Install umbrellas or an awning to protect your furniture from weather conditions
- Use a compact blower to remove dust from the furniture’s surface every couple of days
To Wrap Up
Mesh furniture can collect dust and become grimy if you don’t use it for a long time, but luckily, we’ll tell you how to clean it quickly using readily available tools in your house. If you have plastic furniture mesh, you can clean it with a mixture of bleach and water. But if you have fabric furniture, you’ll need to use dish soap and water instead to avoid discoloration.