With the rest of the world playing catch up on being nice to Mother Earth, it's no surprise that people are catching on to how lovely eco-friendly products are. From lipsticks to ice cream to hybrid cars, there seems to be no stopping the environmentally conscious from taking back the market. This also includes eco-friendly patio furniture like Poly-Wood and teak, two of the sturdiest types of lawn furniture available.
Poly-Wood products are made from recycled plastics but they look like top quality wood. Instead of using valuable resources for outdoor furniture, Poly-wood gathers milk jugs, soda bottles, and plastic caps to recycling them and create weather-resistant lawn furniture. The "plastic lumber" is nonporous and comes in a variety of colors-if white isn't your thing pick another shade! They also don't need the same kind of care that plastic chairs or cushions do. Some soap and water are all you need to clean up. Whether on an actual lawn, next to the pool for some tanning time, or in the sand near the beach, Poly-wood holds up to the tests of time while benefit the earth with its recycled plastics.
Teak furniture, on the other hand, has been popular since the 1960s. It has a reputation for solid construction and weather-resistance, in addition to being protected by natural oils. These oils mean that the patio furniture doesn't need varnish or shellac, making it easier to maintain over time. The part that makes teak environmentally beneficial is that it's harvested from sustainable plant growths, which means that it's harvested without disrupting the plants surrounding it. Set it out on the lawn or display it proudly on the front porch for a nice change of scenery. Naturally beautiful, teak lawn furniture is certainly the way to go for eco-friendly furniture with quality and taste.
Sipping lemonade on a hot summer afternoon just isn't the same if you're doing it on the front steps. With patio furniture, you can enjoy the warm weather and relax comfortably. And with environmentally friendly furniture, you can know that you're contributing-all while sitting outside in patio furniture.
Spring cleaning for the deck has a number of levels.
First, start by cleaning your deck. Chances are its gotten dirty and may have even taken a little damage from the cold weather. This is a great time to give it a deep cleaning. The more dirt and debris you remove from the deck, the more easily you will be able to see if there are any cracks or other areas of damage in the deck that need to be repaired.
Once you've checked out the deck for damage, and you are secure with it being in good condition, it's time to protect it for the next year. Depending on what kind of decking you have, there are many options for protecting it. If you still have the instructions from your original decking purchase, there may be details on how to protect it from the elements. Sometimes these treatments will last for years; sometimes they have to be repeated annually. Spring is a great time to go through these steps.
Once you have finished cleaning the deck and protecting it, it's time to focus on your patio furniture. Patio furniture also needs a good cleaning. From top to bottom, you should wash your patio furniture. For plastic and poly patio furniture, this may be as easy as turning on the garden hose or using a pressure washer to rinse all the patio furniture pieces off. If you have wicker, teak or other wood-based patio furniture pieces, these may take a little more work. Pressure washers could damage the wood and cause scratches that take away from the attractive surface. Instead, you will need to put a little elbow-grease into the cleaning of these items. Get down with a brush and warm soapy water and work all the dirt and debris out of the patio furniture. Do not use a wire scrub brush. While many think wire brushes are a better way to get rid of all the dirt and debris, the truth is, those wire brushes can not only cause grooves in your furniture but also leave behind more debris.
When the wire brush is used on a wood surface, it may well cut into the wood. Then pieces of the wire brush can break off into the new cuts in the wood. Those pieces of wire are not only stuck in the wood, but often rust and break down inside the wood doing more damage to the structure.
Getting your deck and patio furniture ready for the entertaining season is something that you should make part of your annual spring-cleaning habit. Spring-cleaning is not just something that happens inside the home, but also something that should happen outside the home too, in the back yard. Every year your deck and patio furniture should be kept on the spring-cleaning to-do list.
Both Nadia Osman & Jesse Akre are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.