This Budget-Friendly Item Offers A Cute And Clean Upgrade For Your Camping Picnic Tables

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When it's time for a classic simple but delicious breakfast while camping, you may not think twice about setting up at the picnic tables near your campsite. However, when you start to think about all of the people, bugs, and animals who have passed through the picnic area, you may prefer to eat your breakfast standing up. Bird droppings, stray wood splinters, and sticky children's germs are all plausible finds at a stray picnic table. Setting up your lunch at a picnic table seems like a great way to spend an afternoon, but it could actually lead to your family catching the stomach bug.

One University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba, Ph.D., explained via WebMD that picnic tables "are never cleaned or disinfected and birds like to roost on them, especially on picnic tables near a pond or in the shade." With this in mind, you may never want to go near a picnic table again. Luckily, there is a simple solution that can transform an icky lunch at a picnic table into a sophisticated outdoor meal with just one inexpensive Amazon product: vinyl fitted picnic table covers.

Elastic picnic table covers are the perfect way to protect you and your family from the harmful germs lying dormant at picnic tables, and they are only around $20 on Amazon. These protective tablecloths are made with a reusable vinyl fabric that fits a variety of table sizes. Contrary to a regular tablecloth, the elastic hems behave the same way as a fitted sheet, by hugging the sides of the table to make sure it doesn't blow away. The set also comes with seat covers to protect your bum from any mysterious substances or rogue splinters.

While these protective covers won't last you a lifetime, they are an inexpensive solution that can be used until they wear out. However, some reviewers have said that the covers tend to hold up quite well. One Amazon reviewer, TAS, says their cover "is mostly durable and lasted for almost two months of continuous use and constant intense rainfalls." Reviewers seem to love these handy picnic table covers, with one Amazon review by Marie B. stating, "Easy to use; easy to clean. Will definitely buy again in the future when this eventually wears out (I don't think it will be anytime soon)." These reusable picnic table covers come in a variety of colors and patterns, so you can savor a slow midday lunch in style. The vinyl fabric allows for easy cleanup and storage, helping you to follow Leave No Trace principles.