5 Ways To Make Your Summer Items Last

It’s a cruel, cruel summer when the grill gets gunky and your white jeans get funky. These strategies will help keep everything shipshape through Labor Day.

Beach Chair

Midseason slump: The frame is starting to rust.

How to beat it: “Salt is one of the main causes of rust,” says John Carmona, the owner of the Rust Store, in Madison, Wisconsin, a business devoted to getting rid of the brown stuff. Before you fold up your chairs at the end of a beach day, “give them a quick rinse with fresh water to remove the salt,” says Carmona. At home, use a towel to wipe them down before storing. For preventive care, you can coat the frame base with car wax: The oil will repel salt and water.