Summer is more than its month away, but the out door-living season is upon us. One of the big chores this time of year is cleaning the outdoor furniture.

Useful tips to clean the most common materials in outdoor furniture

Wicker:Wicker is delicate,so to be gentle in how you handle it.Don’t bear down hard when scrubbing; don’t blast the water too hard on it. Keep the furniture hosed down during cleaning; don’t let it dry. Use a moisturizing bar soap (such as Dove) and a very soft-bristled brush. Rinse well with a gentle stream of water. Wipe down with a good lint-free cloth. Let it air dry out of direct sunlight. For stains, brush on Fels-Naptha laundry soap, gently scrub, rinse well and wipe dry.

Plastic,resin and vinyl:Spray well with an all-purpose cleaner. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. Wash with a wet sponge. Rinse well and then wipe down and let it air dry.

White plastic:To keep white plastic bright, combine 3 tablespoons of dishwasher detergent to 2 gallon of warm water. Wash the furniture with a sponge, and let it sit 20 minutes before rinsing. Wipe down and let it air dry.

Wood:Do not soak the wood. Clean with a mixture of 3 tablespoons of dish soap to a gallon of warm water, using a sponge or even soft cloth. Rinse well, wipe down, and let it dry out of direct sunlight. Wood that dries very fast would split. Seal woods such as teak twice a year for extra protection and to preserve the color.

Fabric-covered cushions:Combine 2 teaspoon of liquid dish soap and 2 teaspoon Borax into a spray bottle, fill with warm water. Spray both sides, let sit, then rinse with hose, air dry out of direct sun. When dry, use a fabric protector such as Sketchpad to protect from stains (check manufacturer’s instructions before doing this step). Vacuum cushions once a month during the summer.