Most of us leave the rattan garden furniture set outside all year round. That way it's ready to use and used often because it's easier or there's no room to store it indoors. But uncovered furniture is prone to many problems, from pooling water to bird droppings, tree sap and gathered leaves. This dirt can make furniture look dirty and tired. To keep your garden furniture looking great for longer, using a furniture cover is key.

The unpredictable British weather means that rain comes regularly and it's a good idea to use furniture covers to protect your garden furniture. However, when you remove the cover you will find that water will collect on almost any furniture cover. These waterproof outdoor furniture covers are designed to repel water using a waterproof coating, but they are not designed to hold stagnant water for long periods of time. If the water buildup is not removed, the cover and the furniture may be damaged. Preventing pooling water on furniture covers is an important measure to consider if you want to extend the life of your garden furniture.

The negative effects of pooling water
If you fail to remove any water that may be pooling on the furniture cover, it may cause several problems. Rain alone will not destroy the integrity of your cover, but pooling water combined with cold temperatures could spell disaster for your cover. The whole weight combined with the sharp corners of your furniture can be enough to tear large holes in your cover, leaving your furniture soaked and exposed to the elements. In colder months, pooled rainwater can freeze and swell, causing rips and tears that can render your cover unusable. Also over time, standing water will begin to promote the growth of mold and mildew on the inside and outside of the patio furniture cover. This will usually appear like a few black spots and will not cause much concern at first. If these spots are left untreated, they will increase in size and spread across the furniture cover, resulting in varying degrees of discoloration.

Ways to prevent pooling water on furniture covers
If you want to stop water from pooling on your furniture cover, below we offer two effective ways to help you avoid all of the potential problems we listed earlier.

• Use buckets: Before putting a cover on your patio furniture, place a bucket or two in the middle of the table. This helps create "slanted" sides that allow water to flow down from the top. For the rattan garden set where the table is taller than the chairs, you do not need to use buckets. The goal is to push something into the middle of the lid, creating a raised area that allows water to drain quickly. The same technique can be used when covering outdoor sofas and benches that have the same height armrests around them. Rattan garden sofa and armchairs are best made into rectangles, and then a bucket is placed on the seat to help with drainage. If you want to go a step further, you can fill the bucket with cement and then put a broom handle or cane in the middle. But in most cases, using the bucket alone is fine.

• Use weighted bags and clips: Weighted bags are another good alternative to buckets. Your furniture cover is prone to water pooling when it is in an uneven and relaxed state. The idea is to keep the edges of the outdoor furniture cover as close to the ground as possible. Create a setup similar to a tent. This way, water will slide off the cover and onto the ground. You can fill these bags with any heavy objects you can find, from sand to rocks and pebbles. When you use weighted bags and shelves to secure your furniture cover so that it is in a taut position, this means that this standing water will not be able to stay intact on your furniture cover. Be careful to use them attached to the correct edge of the cover to ensure that the water will fall off the cover every time.

Use the above methods to prevent a host of problems caused by water pooling on your patio furniture cover. Now you can use them to protect your outdoor rattan chairs, tables and sofas from the outside elements better.