A major reason why people invest in high-quality patio furniture is its durability. But regardless of how sturdy or durable a furniture piece is, you still have to do your part in maintaining it to extend its lifespan.
During the cold fall and winter months, your patio furniture just sits in place in the back yard, accumulating debris, dirt, and grime; By the time the warmer months come, you don’t want to sit at a dirty outdoor dining table! So, of course, you start making the efforts to clean your furniture. But in your efforts, do you know if you’re doing it the right way or simply just doing it your way?
Believe it or not, as sturdy as you think your patio furniture may be, you could actually be doing more harm to it than good when cleaning it. All too often people think that after a long winter stint, they can simply power wash their furniture to remove the dirt and grime it’s accumulated. And true enough, you can certainly shave off some scrub time with a pressure washer but all that extreme water pressure puts your furniture at too high of a risk for damage.
If you have a patio chair that has the slightest bit of chipping, power washing it can worsen the damage, or start the damage altogether, especially on teak wood furniture. Many people don’t know or realize that. That’s why we’re here to help.
At Nashville Billiard & Patio, we are outdoor patio experts. Not only do we carry the top brands in luxury outdoor patio furniture, but we also want to help you protect your furniture to keep it looking fresh and new for many years to come. In order to do that, your cleaning technique will be based on the materials the furniture is made from.
From wood to aluminum, these cleaning tips are sure to remove the residue of “yesteryear,” and breathe new life back into your patio furniture.
Tips to Cleaning Your Outdoor Patio Furniture According to Material
Cleaning Aluminum and Iron Furniture
With aluminum furniture, the biggest problem you’re going to encounter is oxidation (or corrosion).
Before you start the process of cleaning your aluminum furniture, you first want to try to remove as much of the oxidation as you possibly can. You can do this by using a metal polishing paste or by simply mixing a solution of water and white vinegar (whatever you have handy). Once the oxidation is removed, wash the furniture with a cleaning solution that’s non-abrasive, and sand off any excess rust. Wipe off with a damp cloth in naphtha.
For your wrought iron furniture, wash with mild soap and water, using a sponge or toothbrush to get in those hard-to-reach crevices, and let air dry. Once dry, you can apply two coats of car wax once or twice a year to maintain it.
Glass Furniture
Maintaining glass patio furniture is very easy. You can initially wash it with warm dish soap and water and let dry. Once your glass furniture is dry, go over it with glass cleaner spray or you can make your own glass cleaner from white vinegar and wipe clean with paper towels or a soft microfiber cloth.
Cleaning Wood and Wicker Furniture
With wicker and wood furniture, you want to be especially careful in how you clean them and the products you use to clean them… The wrong tool or cleaner can ruin your beautiful furniture.
If you take Murphy’s Oil Soap and mix it with warm water, you’ll have the perfect cleaning solution for any wood or wicker piece of furniture. If you don’t have Murphy’s Oil Soap in your cleaning closet, you can always mix a fourth of a cup of ammonia with warm water (1 quart) and white vinegar (2 tbsp).
With store-bought wood cleaners, it’s going to always be in your best interest to dilute it with water, especially if the wood is painted. Do this on a fairly regular basis to keep the furniture clean and free from debris. Every few weeks, make it a point to hose down your wicker furniture to prevent the buildup of dirt in those hard-to-reach crevices.
Hard Resin and Plastic Furniture
For your plastic furniture, a half cup of baking soda and a gallon of warm water will do the trick to rid your furniture of pesky dirt and stains. Just remember, if your plastic furniture is white, refrain from using any cleaning products with chlorine or bleach because it will destroy the material. Once clean, apply automotive paste wax to protect and restore your furniture.
Now you know the RIGHT ways to clean and maintain your outdoor patio furniture based on what it’s made from. By keeping your furniture clean pretty regularly, you’ll extend the life of your furniture drastically.