I don't know what happens to furniture outside, but it can get pretty gross. I've accidentally sat down at a friend's place, only to find that I parked myself right into gooey stagnant water on her patio chair. It was disgusting. So when we decorated our backyard area, I insisted on outdoor furniture covers.

It's Easy

It turns out there are several different kinds of outdoor furniture covers. I like the kind that is really light and durable. The fabric is water-proof, which is what keeps off all the junk. They're really easy to store. I just bunch them up and toss them in the garage.

When to use Outdoor Furniture Covers

I put outdoor covers on almost any time I'm not using the patio furniture. I've found that gunk can get onto the chairs even overnight. I'd certainly use the covers if I wasn't going to be entertaining outdoors for a week or two. And even with the covers, I like to give the furniture a quick brush before using them.

The best thing about the covers is that it extends the life of patio furniture. We made a bit of an investment to make the outdoor area nice. I couldn't stand it if the furniture got ruined just because I didn't feel like getting covers. It's just nice to know that my favorite place to sit and have coffee is protected.