How to: Garden furniture maintenance

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Here are some tips on patio and garden furniture maintenance and how to give your furniture some TLC this spring.

It’s official: spring is here. The clocks have gone forward and the weather is warming up.

So, you may be thinking that it’s time to crack out the patio furniture and spend some time in the garden.

Naturally, because garden items are often used during the warmer months and then left in storage for extended periods – they can need a little extra care to make sure they are at their best when you need them.

But what can you do?

Cleaning garden furniture

When taking your patio or garden furniture out of storage, the first thing you’ll need to do is give it a good cleaning. Here are some quick tips:

  • Firstly, remove cushions and machine wash these if possible, following the care instructions. If you can’t machine wash them, then you can always do the job yourself with warm soapy water and a sponge.
  • Use hot soapy water to wipe down the furniture (including your parasol). Over time a lot of dirt and grime can gather on outdoor items, especially if they see a lot of use from guests at garden parties etc.
  • Give the furniture a quick rinse with cool water and wipe off any excess water.
  • Leave to dry where possible. It’s a good idea to check the weather to make sure you have a dry day or two for the items to air dry properly. If not, you can always move them somewhere dry and towel them by hand.

Caring for wooden garden furniture

If your garden furniture is wooden, there are a few things you can do to give it the proper treatment:

  • Avoid using cleaning products containing ammonia. This can damage wood furniture, so try and avoid it at all costs and check the labels of your cleaning products.
  • When spraying any wood with furniture polish, make sure that the polish you use doesn’t have a high amount of alcohol, as this can damage your furniture.
  • Use placemats and coasters (with felt or cork bottoms) on patio tables to avoid marking the wood.
  • Do not allow moisture to be trapped between a glass top and the wooden surface. This will warp and damage your wood. So, make sure you completely dry the glass before replacing it.

Caring for rattan garden furniture

To look after rattan garden furniture, you should also be sure to clean it fairly regularly yourself.

The good thing is that most rattan furniture is made of materials that are very easy to clean (usually PE, PVC or PU).

This means that just like wood, warm soapy water and a sponge will do the job effectively.

For any rattan tables with a glass top, you still want to avoid getting moisture trapped inside the glass, so it’s best to simply use a dry cloth and some glass cleaner.

And the same as wooden furniture, any extra furnishings like cushions can be removed and machine washed or washed with your sponge and soapy water.

Caring for aluminium garden furniture

Aluminium furniture is even easier to clean, as you can normally get the job done using only warm soapy water.

Just make sure you do so regularly and you should be absolutely fine all year round.

Protecting garden furniture from the elements

A general tip for wooden garden furniture (or any other wooden items) is to steer clear of the extremes of too much moisture, or too much dryness.

There is a delicate balance of moisture and dryness that you must preserve to keep your furniture looking healthy and prolong its life.

Too much moisture can lead to a build-up of mildew, whereas dryness can cause weakened joints.

And for any garden furniture, wooden, rattan, or aluminium, your biggest opponent to contend with is the weather!

So, if there is a turn in the weather, be it too much sun or some rain, make sure you bring your wooden garden items into the shade or somewhere dry.

Alternatively, you could invest in other methods. Such as:

  • Placing garden furniture underneath some kind of sheltered area in your garden
  • Using some kind of furniture covering. A plastic sheet will do the job nicely here
  • Tying down plastic sheeting or furniture cover to make sure it stays in place

Garden furniture is usually pretty straightforward to maintain, provided you show your items regular and attentive care. However, there may be times when soap and water aren’t enough to remove damage and stubborn stains.

Professional garden furniture maintenance

In times like this, get in touch with your nearest Furniture Medic business.

Our furniture care and restoration experts will make sure your items are taken care of and looking their best so you can enjoy the warmer months free of worry.