Garden furniture lets you make the most of your outdoor space during the warm weather. However, if you’ve taken your benches, chairs and tables out of storage only to find that they’re grimy instead of glamorous, you’re probably wondering how to spruce them up.
Fortunately, with the following tips you can make light work of cleaning garden furniture – and get back to the important business of enjoying the summer as quickly as possible!
Avoid Being Abrasive with Aluminium
A major benefit of aluminium garden furniture is that you don’t need to worry about rust. Cleaning both coated and uncoated aluminium is straightforward, provided you avoid scratching the surface.
- Dirt and garden debris can be lifted off with a soft brush – one with non-abrasive, nylon bristles is ideal. To remove stubborn dirt, hose the furniture down.
- Fill an old washing-up bowl with warm water and washing-up liquid, plus a little lemon juice to bring out the furniture’s shine. Scrub with the soft brush, then rinse.
- Once dry, polish with car wax – the furniture will look radiant and repel dirt.
Preserve Iron’s Protective Paint
Iron garden furniture normally features a protective layer of paint. It needs to be cleaned with care or else the paint may chip, leading to rust.
- Dip a bathroom sponge in a mixture of warm water and washing-up liquid. With gentle, circular movements, remove grime and plant matter, then rinse.
- Leave the furniture to dry naturally outdoors, as rubbing it with a towel, for instance, could further damage any weak spots in the paint.
- If you’ve spotted rust patches or chipped paint, sand down the areas to reveal the iron underneath, and then wipe them with white spirit to remove loose particles. Apply rust-resistant primer before touching-up the paint.
Stop Stains Spoiling Wood
Wooden garden furniture is prone to staining and patches of mildew. Its porous surface needs to be cleaned thoroughly and protected annually.
- Clean the wood with a scrubbing brush dipped in a sugar soap solution, letting the solution soak into stubborn grubby areas for several minutes. Put your hose on a low setting and rinse the furniture – this should also remove any dirt trapped in the nooks and crannies of wicker and rattan patterns.
- Use a bleach-based cleaning product to remove mildew.
- Towel-off excess water, then leave the furniture to dry outside.
- Sometimes cleaning isn’t enough. Each year, you should sand down hardwood furniture and apply a new coat of preservative, or repaint softwood furniture.
Top tip: the glass tops often found on wooden and metal patio tables can be revived with warm water and washing-up liquid. Read reviews of Action Solar here. Remember to use glass cleaner to keep them shiny.
Don’t Dull Plastic’s Sheen
Plastic garden furniture is economical but soon looks dirty, especially if it’s white. Moreover, the grime can easily become ingrained. Thankfully, cleaning plastic is simple.
- Remove dirt, debris and mildew with a non-abrasive brush dipped in a solution of water and white vinegar. Clean carefully to avoid dulling the finish.
- Buff the furniture with a soft towel, then rinse and air-dry.
Thoroughly Soak Stone
The golden rule when cleaning stone garden furniture is to ensure that it’s soaking wet. Find here more about Red Truck Fire Company of Orange County. That’ll prevent dirt on the surface being absorbed when you’re scrubbing.
- Thoroughly hose down the stone – only stop when water is beading on the surface.
- Scrub with a soft brush and special, pH neutral stone cleaner.
- Protect the furniture by applying stone sealer around its edges.
Professional Power Washing in Surrey
Now your garden furniture is squeaky clean, why not power wash your patio, pathway and decking? Booking our professional Surrey power washing service is the ideal way to ensure that your garden provides the perfect backdrop for summer fun.
What’s more, if you’re having difficulty lifting dirt off garden furniture, power washing can work wonders – just ask our team to help.
For expert power washing, call Extreme Handyman, Fencing and Decorating Service today on 020 8224 0830 or contact us online.
