DIY Life

Depending on where you live, it may be time to set up your outdoor furniture and enjoy the changing season from your deck or patio. If you're responsible and motivated, you probably cleaned all your furniture before packing it away. If you're like me, you ran out in the rain and quickly moved things to the shed, intending to go back and put them away properly, but never actually did it.

You organized folk will have an easier time getting your furniture ready this year, but I'm not entirely out of luck either. How to clean outdoor furniture is a great resource with cleaning tips for all types of outdoor furniture. Here are all the materials that can be cleaned using these instructions:

1. Aluminum
2. Cushions
3. Hammocks
4. Cast and formed iron
5. Resin plastic
6. Sun shades and patio umbrellas
7. Wood

Our umbrella is in terrible condition. Follow me through the break and I'll share their advice on bringing it back to life.


Cleaning outdoor umbrellas and sunshades can be a daunting task, particularly if you've left it out too long or stored it dirty. The good news is that all you need is dish detergent and warm water. Ideally, you follow these instructions before putting the umbrella in storage, but you can still use it now if you need to.

Mix up a mild solution and wash the whole umbrella. Pay particular attention to the crevices around the top where gunk collects. Once you've washed it thoroughly, let it sit open in the sun for a full day before closing it up and packing it away. If you're just bringing it out for the season, simply wash it down with the detergent solution and set it up.