Cleaning Outdoor Furniture

Want to give that grimy, grungy outdoor furniture a facelift?  It's easy with a good cleaning.  For plastic furnishings mix a little dish soap, some borax, and half a cup of peroxide into one gallon of water.  Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes and use it to scrub all your plastic outdoor furniture with a nylon brush before rinsing well.  Just test a small area first to be sure the peroxide does not react negatively with the furniture. 

For wood furniture, oil the wood surfaces with a sealant or preservative that is appropriate to the material.  You can clean the furniture a couple of times a month with an oil soap.  For metal furniture, use soapy water and elbow grease.  Remove any rust or stains with sand paper.  You can also repaint the entire piece with a rust prohibiting paint or a metal varnish.  And don't forget to periodically clean your furniture throughout the summer - don't let pollen or bird droppings sit on it and cover it up if you won't be using it for a while.