Garden Outdoor Furniture Maintenance

Your garden outdoor furniture is an important asset to your patio living. The garden outdoor furniture maintenance, if done properly, can prolong your comfort, it keeps its good looks, and will warrant compliments for many years to come. Garden outdoor and patio furniture is constructed of varieties of different materials.

It does not matter what material your furniture is constructed of, the primary step in maximizing your furniture is a good cleaning. Dust, dirt, and leaves have a habit of settling in and around the furniture, so brushing away the loose debris with a cloth or soft bristle broom will help. A garden hose can then be used to wash away any stains and residue. For the stubborn dirt you can use a sponge that is saturated with water and a mild soap. It is a good idea to do this washing at the start of every outdoor season. Check to make sure all the bolts, nuts, and screws are tightened; the broken, missing, or rusted hardware needs to be replaced with rustproof ones that are made of stainless steel, aluminum, or galvanized steel. Next, if your furniture is equipped with hinges or wheels, you will need to lubricate them with a silicone lubricant. Lubricating with oil has a tendency to cake up and it will attract dirt.

Some wooden furniture may need a new application of outdoor finish. Between seasons you can wash by using a mild soap and water solution. It would probably be a good idea to store wooden furniture indoors during the winter season except for teak outdoor furniture or cedar outdoor furniture. Redwood furniture is not only attractive but it is also weather resistant and will not warp or rot. It may split and will probably turn grey within a year if not cared for properly. If you prefer the original color of redwood to the grey color there are commercial brands of redwood stain and sealer you can use that will help keep the beautiful redwood color. Before applying stain and sealer wash the furniture and replace any hardware that has started to rust, as they will stain the wood; lightly sand with a 150 grit sandpaper and dust and wipe clean.   

Wicker garden furniture will remain shiny, stain resistant, and waterproof if you regularly use an application of wax and wood oil soap. For everyday cleaning you can soap off your wicker furniture with a sponge and a toothbrush can be used to clean all the areas that are hard to get to. When the paint starts getting eaten away due to years of exposure an outdoor spray paint can be used. All weather wicker patio furniture is weather-resistant, but it will dry out in the sun for any length of time. In order to put moisture back into the fibers of wicker it can be soaked in water once a year. Wicker furniture will last longer if it is kept in the shade. Wicker garden outdoor furniture just needs to be washed and refinished every so often in order to keep it in good condition.

Wrought iron, aluminum and steel framed outdoor furniture are usually treated by the manufacturer with materials that are rust-resistant. For seasonal maintenance the water and mild soap treatment will work. Watered down bleach will get rid of mildew, mold, and other stains that are found on the frames. Apply a paste wax or auto polish for added protection against scuff marks and chips. Aluminum furniture needs to be guarded against pitting that will give the metal a dull look. Washing frequently will prevent this if the metal has a baked-on finish or is enameled. If the metal is in poor condition you will also need to briskly rub with a steel wool pad. Once you have the metal smooth again, wash it with the mild soap and water solution. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Once the finish has been restored, apply the auto polish or paste wax. Wrought iron patio furniture will remain good looking if you touch up any exposed bare metal with a metal primer that is rust-resistant, this will prevent the rust from spreading.

Garden outdoor furniture that is made of resin is by far the easiest to maintain. Resin outdoor furniture is made to withstand the elements and a simple cleaning with the mild soap and water solution will usually work. Staining can possibly happen if water is left standing on the seats or on tabletops, so you want to dry off the furniture after rains and wipe off any wet leaves that accumulate. In order to keep your resin outdoor furniture shiny you can use orange oil or auto polish. If you do not want to leave your resin outdoor furniture exposed to the elements all year long it is easily stored. Many of the pieces will break down or stack taking up less storage space.

So you see it really does not matter what material your garden outdoor furniture is made of, by following the manufacturer's special care maintenance will lengthen the looks and the life of the investment you made when you decided on outdoor furniture. Sometimes it is a good idea to cover your furniture or store it away when you are not using it. This will help protect your garden outdoor furniture and make it last a lot longer.