Storing Garden Furniture and Cushions
What’s the Best Solution for Storing Garden Furniture and Cushions?
With the leaves starting to turn, the evenings are drawing in and temperatures cooling, thoughts inevitably turn to “Winter prep”. One of the most common questions we are asked here at The Posh Shed Company is, “Is my shed ok for storing garden furniture and cushions?”. Well, the answer is yes! However, our simple good housekeeping tips will help to make sure that your furniture bounces into action next Spring ready to face another Summer.
1. Clean
Cleaning Cushions
You wouldn’t put your dirty dishes back in the cupboard without washing them and garden furniture is just the same!
Remove washable cushion covers and wash or dry clean according to the instruction label. Make sure that they are dry and aired thoroughly. An airing cupboard is perfect for this. If you have a dehumidifier, pop this in the “drying room” for a day to extract the last of the moisture. Once dry, pop the covers back on the cushion pads.
If your cushions are waterproof, give them a clean with a soft cloth and gentle detergent. Mould can be an issue on waterproof cushions, so it is important to remove this. It will only get worse over winter! Use a mild bleach solution, making sure the area is well ventilated and you use appropriate PPE to protect your skin and eyes. Spray or wipe on with a cloth and leave for up to 20 minutes. Rinse off and allow to dry naturally outside.
Cleaning Furniture
Before you store the furniture, it is good practice to clean off any natural debris or dirt using an appropriate cleaner.
For metal, a simple solution of warm soapy water followed by a thorough dry with a microfibre cloth should suffice. Once dry, inspect the surface for any damage, removing rust spots with a fine grade sandpaper. Then seal with metal paint.
Plastic is perhaps the easiest to clean. A wash down with soapy water and perhaps a light scrub with a soft brush should be all that’s needed. Then dry off with a microfibre cloth.
Wicker and rattan furniture can prove a little awkward to clean. Using the upholstery tool on your vacuum cleaner, get most of the surface dust off before wiping down with a cloth. Try not to saturate the materials as they don’t tend to handle moisture well. You can weatherproof with various treatments such as yacht varnish but do check the manufacturer recommendations first.
Treating wooden furniture with a bit of TLC before the winter will pay dividends. Your furniture will be nourished and ready for another season as soon as that spring sunshine appears. Using a soft brush in a mild detergent, clean off any green moss and dirt and allow to dry. Then apply the recommended preservation treatment for your furniture to ensure that it is protected against the effects of the external elements for another season.
2. Cover
Once dry, cover your cushions or place them into storage bags to keep them clean and dust free through the winter. Ikea “Dimpa” bags are affordable and perfect for a small number of cushions. ManoMano also have a huge range of solutions. Pop a large silica gel pack (readily available on Amazon) into the bag before sealing up to add additional moisture protection.
3. Store Garden Furniture and Cushions
Any shed, garage or outbuilding offers protection for your furniture but the drier the better. If you don’t have a shed, a spare room, underbed space or loft can be used for your soft furnishings. Custom fitted furniture covers, or a tarpaulin can keep the worst of the weather off your furniture if you have to leave it out over the winter.
Keep an eye on your furniture cushions over the winter. Check in on them once a month or so to make sure that no mould or mildew is growing and that rodents haven’t taken up residence.
The Posh Shed Company Top Tip
The Posh Shed Company include a unique triple layer wall construction in their shed builds. Perfect for storing garden furniture over winter, this build helps keep moisture out and the inside of your shed dry. Going a step further, the “Comfortably Posh” and “Unbelievably Posh” options also have an insulated layer added to the floor, walls and roof. In addition, the windows and door are also double glazed. This makes them perfect for storing garden furniture and cushions.
