How To Care For and Store Patio Furniture In The Winter

It’s that time of year - we’ve enjoyed summer now it’s time to cover up and put away our patio furniture, toys and other summer lawn and patio items.  

But are you doing it correctly?  Here is a quick guide from Keylock Storage on the best ways to protect and store your patio furniture.

Cover Up!

One of first rules of thumb of making patio furniture and other outdoor items is to simply cover them up!  A BBQ for example should always have a cover on it. 

The spruceeats.com detailed the importance of covering your barbecue grill.  They said,

“Use a Grill Cover to Extend the Life of Your Grill

The first piece of advice is that you definitely need a grill cover. A grill cover will help keep your grill looking good for years to come. You should cover your grill after every use once it has cooled down. While some worry that a grill cover will encourage rusting, this is a myth. Stainless steel grills must be kept covered between uses to ensure lawn chemicals and other corrosive agents won't act on the metal and tarnish it.

Avoid felt-lined or flannel-lined grill covers because mice and squirrels will use the fabric for nesting material. They will tear away at it, and the cover will soon enough be in tatters. Instead, look for unlined vinyl, polyester, oilcloth, or weather-proof nylon covers.”

Some patio items such as furniture also simply need to be covered.  Places like Amazon are a good resource for generic furniture coverings such as can be found HERE

Store

Most of what goes on your patio in the summer needs to be stored in the winter.  Items such as plastics can bend and break in the cold and fabrics can become mildewy and damaged from cold and moisture.

Storage benches are a great way to store patio pillows and other various patio items.  Find an example HERE

When in doubt with summer patio items in the winter just remember to STORE.  But where do you put all that?  After using your garage for vehicles and other items, most Americans simply don’t have the space for huge patio furniture year round.

Keylock Storage to the rescue! As keylockstorage.com said on their blog,

“If you have lawn furniture, children toys or anything else sitting on the grass, make sure they are removed before winter and put in proper storage.  Finding room in your garage for big bulky lawn furniture can be a pain and sometimes impossible.  It’s pretty rare that people have room in their garage for such huge pieces that should be stored in the winter. 

A great resource for winter storage is self storage.  Keylock Storage is an exceptional self storage supplier throughout the Pacific Northwest and Nevada that is an ideal choice for winter storage as they offer month to month contracts. 

About their experience Keylock Storage says,

“Because our customers expect convenience, security, and dependability, that’s what we deliver at every one of our Keylock Storage locations. Whether in Idaho, Oregon, Washington or Nevada, we take customer service seriously so you and your belongings will always come first. We also know how valuable your time is which is why we provide all the information you need right here on our website or over the phone. Keylock Storage makes it easy and simple for you.

Keylock provides many services in self-storage including: expert on-site storage managers and customer care, convenient and easy-to-use payment options such as auto and online pay, month-to-month contracts, the best in facility security and maintenance, drive-up access, electronic gates and a variety in unit types and sizes.”

Go to keylockstorage.com to check out unit sizes, answer any questions and rent online today!”

How To Winterize Different Materials

If you’re in the business of winterizing your various patio and lawn items - there is a rhyme and reason on how to do it.  

bobvila.com goes over how to winterize your patio items based on the material.  They said,

“Metals

Most aluminum furniture has been powder coated, keeping it from rusting.  Zac Bryant, the Vice President of Product Development and Merchandising at Lane Venture, a manufacturer of outdoor furniture, suggests washing aluminum and then applying a coat of automotive wax for extra protection.  Touch up any scratches with car paint in the appropriate color.

Despite wrought iron furniture’s sturdy structure, it is susceptible to rust. Remove any that’s accumulated with a wire brush and then coat with an exterior spray paint designed for wrought iron, before covering with a quality tarp until spring.

Plastic

Plastic needs little care—a blast with the hose and a good toweling off—but because of its potential brittleness, it also needs to come indoors for the winter.

Fabrics

Designed to deter mildew, acrylic fabrics can still harbor mold if the fabric remains dirty. To avoid black spots, vacuum or shake off your cushions and umbrella at the end of the outdoor season, and keep anything stuffed with foam in a dry space for the winter. For tough stains, use a bleach/detergent mix (one cup bleach to a gallon water, with a squirt of detergent), but don’t use bleach on any cotton or printed fabrics. For those, just use soap and water.

Natural materials  

Teak is the most durable of woods used to make patio furniture, turning an elegant silver with time and exposure to the elements. If you want teak to maintain its original color, apply specialty oil at least once a year. Other painted woods will lose their color in the sun; replenish a faded coat with an acrylic paint recommended by a quality paint supplier.

Synthetic wicker can stay outdoors year-round, but natural rattan needs to be kept in a dry, dark space. Before storing, check the wicker for damage and repaint any areas that are flaking.”

We hope these ideas will help you preserve your patio furniture during the winter and year round!

In addition, you can visit Keylock Storage Blog for more interesting articles about organization and lifestyle: keylockstorage.com/blogs