A great patio space can serve as your mini vacation spot, where you enjoy barbeque with family and friends, or wind down and read a good book. However, your patio furniture pieces, especially the cushions, are prone to damage from natural elements such as sunlight exposure, as well as human accidents such as spilling orange juice. To ensure your patio cushions are in great shape for the summers to come, it’s important to take some preventive measure to protect them from damage. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Below are six cost-effective ways to protect your patio cushions.

1. Buy sun-resistant materials

Sunshine has the power to fade colour away from most materials, including most fabrics. It will quickly bleach the bright hues out of any regular cushion. To avoid this, look for cushions made with sun-resistant fabric, such as solution dyed acrylics. While it will still fade with direct sunlight, its lifespan is significantly longer compared to other fabrics and should last over five years.

One way to test the fabric is the bleach a small corner or unnoticeable area to see if there’s any discolouring. Another way to protect the cushions from sunlight is to not leave them out for too long and/or keep them covered when they’re not in use.

However, you will find that if you buy a high-quality synthetic rattan garden dining set, very often it will include weather-proof cushions, and as this type of rattan is very resistant to weather conditions, you will be able to safely leave your set uncovered all year round.

2. Drain waterlogged cushions

When it comes to water, outdoor cushions are usually made with water resistance in mind. Even it they are not waterproof, they are very different from regular cushions. When they are not in use, the cushions should be propped up at an angle in order to prevent pooling, in which water can run off easily. To prevent water damage entirely, the cushions should be stored away when they are not it use. When it comes to drying waterlogged cushions, the seam should be placed down so that they can properly drain, and any zippers should be unzipped.

3. Trim hedges and trees

Especially during the summertime, it ’s hard to avoid unwelcomed critters, such as squirrels, from entering your patio and destroying your property.Fortunately, there are a number of simple tricks you can try to keep them at bay. One preventive measure is to trim trees and hedges so there’s less place for them to hangout. While this may not be enough, it can still make a difference.

4. Add scent

Strong smells would also deter critters from touching your patio furniture. Cleaning the cushions with vinegar, for instance, is one effective method.You could also use scents like lavender which are pleasing for most humans, but are offensive to a lot of critters.If all else fails, repellent is always an option in order to keep them away.

5. Create distractions

You could even hang cobs of corn in different parts of the lawn in order to distract certain creatures such as squirrels from your patio furniture.

6. Remove stains immediately

A lot of eating, snacking, and drinkings takes place on the patio. While this is a wonderful way to enjoy the summer season, it creates a big risk for drips and stains on patio furniture pieces.

Any stains should be treated immediately in order to be properly removed. To remove them, scrub the affected area with lukewarm water and a generous amount of mild soap. Let this mixture soak on the stain for a little bit before beginning. Dab off as much of the stain as possible, and then if there is still a mark there take a soft-bristled brush and lightly scrub. Be careful not to brush too hard otherwise you will damage the fabric. Take your time and be patient.

7. Clean regularly

To maintain patio cushions, they should be cleaned on a regular basis. When it comes time to take the patio down for the colder weather, be sure to properly clean the cushions prior to putting them away. They should then be placed in waterproof bags or containers in order to better protect them. The best way to figure out the most effective way to clean the cushions is to read the tag when they are first purchased from any online furniture store.

All you need is lukewarm water and a generous amount of mild soap.

7 Affordable Ways to Keep Long-Lasting Patio Cushions