Armadillo Sun patio furniture is easy to prepare for winter.
It's handmade from technical, high-performance outdoor fabric and filled with premium non-absorbent beads.
Armadillo Sun outdoor furniture contains no wood to rot, metal to rust, or foam to go mouldy.
In a few quick and easy steps, your garden furniture is prepped and ready for whenever the sunshine reappears.
How to winterize Armadillo Sun garden furniture
Image: an Armadillo Sun modular garden sofa is made from technical fabric based on materials used in the marine industry. It is highly durable and stain resistant.
Step 1: Clean it (optional!)
Armadillo Sun outdoor fabric is stain-resistant and not susceptible to mould or rot. However, outdoor use will inevitably result in the accumulation of mud, dust, and leaves — as well as food and drink marks from outdoor entertaining. If left on the surface of the furniture, these look unsightly and may attract nasties in the damp of winter.
Most grubby bits can be wiped clean with a damp soapy cloth (please don’t put Armadillo Sun furniture in the washing machine). If you find any mould or mildew, soak with a solution of 225ml of bleach and 60ml of mild soap in 4 litres of water. Scrub with a soft brush and rinse thoroughly. Find more cleaning recommendations in our outdoor fabric care guide.
Alternatively, jet wash it! This is what my family does and it is incredibly satisfying.
In fact, we prefer not to clean our garden furniture before winter and instead leave it for jet washing in spring. We can then do it at the same time as cleaning the patio slabs.
There is absolutely no need to add a preservative, sealant, or any other protective coating to Armadillo Sun furniture.
Image: an Armadillo Sun corner sofa chair makes a cosy place to curl up and enjoy the winter garden when moved to a sheltered corner.
Step 2: Move it (optional!)
Armadillo Sun garden furniture is based on the "bean bag" concept i.e. it is filled with premium beads without any hard inner structure. As a result, it is much lighter than standard wooden or artificial rattan outdoor furniture.
You can pick an Armadillo Sun sofa chair up and lift it above your head, should you be so inclined.
Image: a garden bean bag pulled into the sunniest corner of the garden is perfect for enjoying a cup of tea on — even in the middle of winter. Armadillo Sun bean bags do not have to be covered and are quick-drying. Or use a bean bag indoors in a boot room, or as a comfy seat next to the radiator, and chuck it outdoors whenever the winter sunshine breaks through.
This opens up the opportunity to rearrange patio and decking furniture for winter. If you have a sheltered spot, close to the house, that you might enjoy with a cup of coffee on a clear winter’s day, why not move an outdoor chair there and create a cosy corner?
If you usually place your garden furniture close to trees, make your future life easier and pull it somewhere where wet leaves won’t gather on top of it.
Are you concerned about the effects of high winds and storms? Our furniture is light but it has a large surface area in contact with the ground: gusts do not tend to get up and under it. Of course, if you prefer to move furniture to less exposed spots in winter then, with Armadillo Sun pieces, it is easy to do so. You won’t hurt your back in the process!
Image: an Armadillo Sun indoor outdoor bean bag looks comfortable and inviting moved from the patio into a stylish living room. Find styling inspiration here to guarantee a bean bag will look good in your living room.
As the seasons change, I love to bring some of my outdoor furniture indoors, especially a bean bag or table. They offer a handy extra seat when we have all the kids and their families over for Christmas. A bean chair is also perfect for creating a warm nook next to the radiator in the kitchen — perfect to collapse onto after a long chilly walk with the dogs.
Step 3: Cover it (optional!)
Keeping winter detritus off your outdoor furniture makes the clear up job easier in spring. We’re always about making life simple, so I’ve designed and made winter covers for Armadillo Sun garden sofas and bean bags.
Image: an Armadillo Sun garden sofa covered neatly and securely with a purpose-made Winter Cover. The fabric has a clear seal coat and is double-stitched and overlocked to offer a high degree of protection from water and damp.
When spring arrives, whisk off the cover and your sofa is ready to enjoy.
Alternatively, don't prepare the outdoor furniture for winter!
PS: it will be fine
You don’t have to do anything to prepare your Armadillo Sun furniture for winter. Many times in my own life, things have got busy and I've had to take something off the to-do list. Preparing outdoor furniture for the winter is simply not a priority!
Image: I left my custom-made Armadillo Sun outdoor cushions on our garden sofa all winter. They handled the rain, damp, and even the snow! After a quick clean with the pressure washer in the spring, the cushions looked beautiful again.
I've worked hard to design Armadillo Sun furniture to handle a winter outdoors. When you've got a hectic home — and better things to do with your time — leave your garden furniture to the elements. This is what it's made for!
With a good jet wash in the spring it’ll be ready for summer lounging.
When you leave a comfy garden chair out uncovered it also means you have a seat from which to enjoy the garden all winter.
If you'd like more ideas for getting out and enjoying the garden in the colder months, I've included my favourite ten things to do here. I've also got some great suggestions for using your outdoor furniture indoors — getting you more out of the investment you made in it!