October to January are the wettest months of the year in the United Kingdom. Â With this in mind, let us show you how to store garden furniture for the winter.
You have many options with this depending on how large your furniture is and how much garden furniture you have.
Most plastic furniture can be left to the elements as it can just be wiped down in the spring. However, if you have anything made of wood or metal, you should consider covering them.
When storing any garden furniture outside during the winter months, it is imperative to invest in some garden furniture covers. This is the best way to maintain your garden furniture during the winter months.
If you are selling your property and your garden furniture makes your garden appear smaller, definitely put it away to improve your chances of selling it. If this is not possible, here are some options of how to keep it looking its best and how to store each type.
How to store Rattan Garden Furniture
Rattan is UV and weather-resistant, so it pretty much looks after itself. Â The frame is usually made of aluminium.
Before you store it for the winter, remove the cushions (if any) and take them inside your house. Cushions do not weather well if placed in the shed as mold can grow on material and fabrics if left for long periods of time in damp conditions. First, use a toothbrush to remove any stubborn debris in the grooves. Then using the brush attachment of a hoover, remove any debris/crumbs etc.  Give the furniture a wipe down using a damp cloth dipped in soapy water. You can then give it a light shower with a garden hose. Leave it to dry, then cover it with a garden furniture cover. Remember to elevate the furniture slightly off the ground so that the legs and feet do not get overly wet.  You should check your furniture every few weeks if left outside during the winter months to ensure that there are no leaks in the covering and that the furniture is dry after any heavy rainfall.  Keep the cover free of leaves, snow etc.
Before dismantling or storing any Teak outdoor furniture for the winter months, you should wash it lightly with warm soapy water and leave it to dry in a dry warm place.  It should then be oiled with Teak Oil and left to dry. If this type of wood isn’t regularly oiled, it can turn silvery grey. Once it is completely dry, it can either be dismantled and stored in a shed or outhouse or covered and left in the garden slightly raised off the ground (depending on how much space you have).  You should cover this type of furniture with garden furniture covers if left outside during the winter, but remember to elevate the furniture slightly off the ground so that the legs and feet do not get overly wet. You should check your furniture every few weeks if left outside during the winter months to ensure that there are no leaks in the covering and that the furniture is dry after any heavy rainfall.  Keep the cover free of leaves, snow etc.
Similar to teak wood, it should be washed with warm soapy water and left to dry before storing for the winter months.  You should oil it with hardwood oil, leave it to dry and then cover or dismantle and place it into a shed or outhouse. If this is not possible, you can cover this type of furniture with garden furniture covers but remember to elevate the furniture slightly off the ground so that the legs and feet do not get overly wet.  You should check your furniture every few weeks if left outside during the winter to ensure that there are no leaks in the covering and that the furniture is dry after any heavy rainfall.  Keep the cover free of leaves, snow etc.
There’s no denying it, plastic comes up clean after a good wipe over or scrub. The added bonus of this type of furniture is that it generally weathers really well throughout the year. To avoid having to continually clean it or carry out minor repairs you should consider covering it with garden furniture covers.  It goes without saying that if you want to keep something looking new, you should look after it by covering and protecting it. Just given them a good wash before you pack them away for the winter months with a UPVC cleaner.
Metal furniture can be washed with soapy water or a pressure washer on a low setting but it is always best to store it in a garden or outhouse for the winter.  Be careful though if it has a glass or fragile tabletop.  To prevent it from rusting, you can use steel wool to remove any rust then apply a metal exterior paint.  You can then apply wax to give it more protection from the elements. If the furniture is being kept outside in the garden, you should cover it with a garden furniture cover but remember to elevate the furniture slightly off the ground so that the legs and feet do not get overly wet. You should check your furniture every few weeks to ensure that there are no leaks in the covering and that the furniture is dry after any heavy rainfall. Keep the cover free of leaves, snow etc.
Steel wire wool
Buy here
This is perfect to use for preparing your metal furniture or removing excessive rust before painting with exterior paint.
Exterior metal garden furniture paint
Buy here
This is perfect for maintaining your metal garden furniture. Available in a range of colours, Hammerite Metal Paint can be applied directly onto rusty metal thanks to a formula that has been developed to be a primer, undercoat and topcoat in one. It gives a hammered effect finish that is smooth to touch and sheds water well whilst forming a barrier that not only seals out moisture but gives long-lasting protection, both inside and out. Easy to use, apply it on ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The Hammerite range is designed to protect the metalwork from humidity, rain and rust.
Natural wicker should be hoovered with a soft brush attachment and wiped down with a very slightly damp cloth (not too much water as this can weaken the fibres). Once it has dried, it should be kept in a shed or garage.  If it doesn’t come up clean, you may need to use a cordless sander to sand it in the garden, repaint it and revarnish it.  Sometimes a combination of painting and varnishing/lacquer or wax is used for this type of wicker.  If you have no storage, you should cover it with garden furniture covers if you intend to leave it outside but we would not recommend doing this during the winter months. If no alternative available, you should elevate it off the ground so that the legs and feet do not get wet. Natural wicker can be prone to mildew so you must check this type of furniture fairly often throughout the winter months (every two weeks).
This cordless sander is perfect to use on your wicker furniture. Always ready thanks to its lithium-ion technology. Long-life battery packs due to Bosch electronic cell protection and comes with a Velcro-type fastening for fast use. This product comes with a free 2-year guarantee. In order to extend the warranty from 2 to 3 years, just register the tool with MyBosch within 28 days of purchase.
Furniture Paint
Buy here
Renovate and transform furniture with this furniture paint. With a classic, smooth touch, flat matt finish, it brings a new lease of life to tired, worn-out furniture. The paint can be used directly onto wood (bare or painted), brick, stone, plaster or any suitably primed rigid surface (metal, plastic etc.). Create a distressed look by applying two coats in contrasting colours then sanding/scouring when dry. Protect the finish with either finishing wax or furniture lacquer. Water-based with virtually no odour. Exceptional coverage in just one coat. Sometimes a combination of painting and varnishing/lacquer or wax is used for this type of wicker.
This exterior varnish is quick-drying and durable available in gloss and satin. It gives long-lasting protection to all external wood, has UV inhibitors. It is touch dry in 30 mins, re-coat able in 4 hours. Clean brushes with water. Available in sizes 250ml, 500ml, 1 litre and 2.5 litres.
Synthetic wicker should be hoovered with the soft brush attachment and wiped down with a damp cloth.  Once it has dried, it should be kept in a shed or garage. If you have no internal storage space, you should cover it with garden furniture covers if you intend to leave it outside but we would not recommend doing this during the winter months. If no alternative is available, you should elevate it off the ground so that the legs and feet do not get wet. You must check this type of furniture fairly often throughout the winter months if left outside (every two weeks).
How to deal with difficult neighbours
When dealing with difficult neighbours it can be extremely stressful just trying to work out how to handle the...