We spend so much time on this back patio, and right now under the shade is the only place I can withstand the heat in my third trimester! Today we are sharing some tips and tricks that have really helped us with patio care, and extending the life of our furniture and rugs.

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Before and after soaking and washing cushion covers

Outdoor Pillow Cover Care – It’s almost impossible to avoid some mildew or green spots on your outdoor cushion covers. We bring them in or cover them in the winter, but once a year I like to soak them in arm and hammer oxi-clean to remove stains, and if that doesn’t do it we just bleach them. Not ideal but it works!

Outdoor Pillow Insert Care – I learned this genius tip from Brepurposed. We cover all of our outdoor pillow inserts with garbage bags to prevent mildew and mold from moisture! With the amount of summer showers we get, I gave up on bringing cushions inside each time. It has worked exceptionally well over the last few summers. It may sound a little crispy when you first start to sit down on them, but it settles well and I forget they are even on them after a while.

Outdoor furniture covers: We used this large outdoor furniture cover we used for the winter. We pushed the furniture together and brought down the chairs from our deck as well to cover them all under one tarp. It did the trick, and there was no mold or damage come spring. These deep seat chair covers and deep seat sofa covers are also a good option for individual pieces.

Cordless leaf blower – Something I hadn’t prioritized, but after sweeping the patio once in the humid TN heat whilst pregnant had me ordering one so fast. Wisteria sheds profusely so I have actually been using the leaf blower underneath the pergola almost daily. What a game changer. I’m addicted. It’s oddly satisfying to use.

Cleaning Outdoor Rugs – Outdoor rugs can get green and mildew as quick as pillows, and a power washer will do wonders on them! You can rent them from Home Depot if you only need it for occasional use! Polypropelene material will last a lot longer for outdoor rugs and require less maintenance. Here is a simple way you can spot treat clean your rugs…

Supplies: A large bag of baking soda, deck brush, and a hose (preferrably with a jet setting on the attachment).

1. Pre-soak rug with the hose.
2. Pour baking soda onto stained areas. You will use the whole bag if there are several areas.
3. Scrub the stains or dirt with the deck brush in the same direction of the weave of your rug to prevent fraying.
4. Rinse thoroughly with spray hose or power washer.

Best types of outdoor rugs – There are several rugs you may see online or in stores that are “indoor/outdoor” but some good materials to look for that will last longer for outdoors are polypropylene and polyester. I’ve had a few that feel like plastic, but still have a cool pattern from IKEA that have outlasted the rest since they dry so quick in the sun! This is the outdoor rug we have on our patio.

Mosquito Repellent – I try to avoid having our yard sprayed for mosquitos so we stick to the standard bug spray route, but I will say diffusing citronella, tea tree oil, and peppermint in an area you are hanging out in does a pretty good job of keeping them away! The cordless diffuser we use sold out, but here is a similar one.

Patio lights and lanterns – We use these heavy duty patio lights that seem to stand all weather and create such a nice evening glow up for outdoor spaces. You can also find outdoor led lanterns that make it easy to add a little extra light. I found mine at HomeGoods:)

I think that covers it! Happy summer!