General Cleaning

If you left your patio furniture outside and uncovered throughout the winter, or even if you have it stored in a shed or other area; you will more than likely find that it has acquired some dirt or debris during this time. If you are wanting to start using it again but are unsure how to go about cleaning it then this guide is for you. First, it is very important to follow any and all manufacturers instructions on how to clean and care for your particular furniture. Secondly, it is important to keep in mind several basics of cleaning and the materials or chemicals you are using. both these topics and more will be covered in the sections that follow.

Manufacturers directions are very important because they will not only give you the recommended cleaning procedures to use but will also let you know what materials the object is made of and if there are any solutions, chemicals or materials that should not be used on the item. For example bleach will fade most acrylic, stiff bristle brushes can scratch or even gouge plastics, coated aluminum surfaces can also be scratched and mixing some chemicals will create hazardous gases that can kill you. So please make sure you are aware of these possibilities and are completely familiar with any chemicals or cleaning agents you might use in the process.

1) Aluminum
Uncoated plain aluminum is probably one of the easiest types of patio furniture to clean. You can use bleach, oxy-clean, dish washing detergent or just plain dishwashing soap and a soft bristle brush with some elbow grease to remove most dirt, stains and discoloring. Let the pieces dry throughly before use and if you used bleach; make sure to give them a good rinse with some soap and water. This will prevent the bleach from drying on the surface and then possibly transferring to a guests clothing or any covering materials you may use.

For coated or painted aluminum it is best to use plain soap and water with a soft sponge instead. This will prevent any bad reactions with paint and chemicals and also prevent scratching of the surface coating. Car wax can be used to polish the coated surface and help protect the finish of your coated aluminum patio furniture. Make sure to avoid areas of fabric with the polish as it may cause a reaction and will most certainly be difficult at best to remove. Once the polish or wax has dried, buff the surface of the furniture with a clean dry cloth to produce a nice shine. This will also allow future dirt and debris to rinse off easily using just a garden hose and water.

2) Wrought Iron

The biggest problem with wrought iron of any type is rust. It is unsightly for furniture and can also leave stains or flakes of itself on clothing, skin and animals. Many people choose to have their wrought iron furniture painted for just this reason alone. However, even though the item is painted rust can and eventually will come thorough if left uncovered in the elements for long periods of time. Some people however just insist on having that rustic look, even on their patio furniture and there are some ways to accomplish just that. Depending on how you want the furniture to look when completed will determine how far through the following steps you will want to go. I will give pointers as to where to stop along the way.

First, lets deal with the rust itself. At this point it does not matter if the item is painted or unpainted we are only dealing with the areas of rust. Since we are dealing with metal now we can go ahead and use a stiff bristle wire brush and apply a good deal of force to the scrubbing process. Use the brush to lightly remove any solid heavy flakes of rust from the surface of the item being careful to avoid the painted areas if present. Here is where some people will want to stop with the rust removal, since they may want to leave the rusted look in tact. Once the heavy flake of the rust is removed the item could now be painted with clear coat or covered in car wax/polish. This will provide a clear protective layer for the item and still leave the rusted look that is so popular.

If you are wanting to remove the rust completely and have gotten the heavy flakes of rust off you now have a few options. Naval jelly or spray rust converter can now be used to remove the rust from the item. rust converters come in two different types, one type leaves bare metal and the other leaves a primer surface (usually in black). depending on what you want the final product to look like is going to influence your choice. If you will be painting the item use the type that converts to a sand able primer so that when it is done it's conversion you can get right to sanding and painting. If you are trying to get it to look like new wrought iron use the type that leave raw metal and dissolves the rust, this way you can just clear coat over the item or use some type of protective coating on it.

Sometimes the apparent rust on the furniture is actually just a stain from rusty water dripping or settling in certain areas. In this case steel wool can be used to remove the stain. If it is particularly stubborn in coming off a small amount of kerosene can be used to aide in it's removal. MAKE SURE you only use this method in a well ventilated area the is away from ALL open flames and heat sources as kerosene is flammable and will ignite (USE protective gloves as well)! This should make stain removal fast and easy and also works for other surfaces, like decking and cement.

Dirt of course has a way of finding every little crack and crevice in patio furniture. The best way to get into all of the joint areas is to take apart the item and clean each piece separately. Once everything is clean simply reassemble the item using the original hardware if possible. Sometimes the original hardware breaks or is too rusty to reuse and in those cases new hardware should be purchased from your local hardware store or furniture supplier.

3) Plastic

Almost certainly the first question here has to be why? If you plastic patio furniture is more than a couple of years old you may want to consider replacing it rather than cleaning it for several reasons. Newer plastics and designs can be had today that are sturdier and more durable than those of just a few years ago. In many case the cost of the new furniture is going to be about the same as the old furniture was and may even be cheaper than purchasing the cleaning supplies needed to do the job correctly. But for sake of argument we will assume that you are dead set on cleaning the plastic furniture you have grown to love too much to part with. the supply list is not long at all and really only includes soap, water, bucket and soft bristle brush. Mix some mild soap or powdered laundry detergent with warm water in a bucket. Gently scrub the areas to be cleaned and allow to soak for a few minutes. Then rinse with clean water and repeat if needed. Really stubborn stains may require a heavily diluted solution of water and bleach or oxy-clean. Just be careful when using bleach as it may affect the coloring of the item, it is ALWAYS best to test the solution on an area of the under side of the furniture first before cleaning the whole piece.

4) Wicker

Wicker, by far, can be the most time consuming and troublesome type of patio furniture to clean properly. You will want to make sure to keep the weave straight and allow it to dry rather quickly. If you find that it is not drying fast enough you may use a hair drier to help speed the process. Just be careful not to heat the wicker too much or let it dry too quickly as warping and cracking of the weave could happen. A mild soap or detergent and water mix can be used to lightly scrub stains and debris from the wicker. For the small cracks and in between the weaves a small pointed object such as a toothpick or wooden skewer is a perfect tool for this. With a little patience and lots of care you can restore your wicker patio furniture to an almost new state, better than new if you decide to paint or re-paint the furniture as well.

5) Mildew

Mildew is a problem that can plague any yard furniture regardless of the material. If a damp cloth or shirt is left lying on the furniture or if it is located in an area where moisture tends to hang around, under a tree, near a pool, etc. Mildew will eventually turn up, if only just barely on the surface. It can be unsightly and if left unattended, but it can also be extremely unhealthy. There are many commercial products out there that can be used to clean mildew from most surfaces, but a mild solution of bleach and warm water is sometimes the best thing to use. Not only will it kill the mildew and cause it to break down, but it will also help restore the original color of your patio furniture. If this furniture is white then it should bring out a brilliant white color to the surface. This mixture will also remove green or brown pollen tints that sometimes cover patio furniture in early Spring, which may or may not have mildew hiding beneath it's surface. Be sure to read all labels as bleach can fade and deteriorate some surfaces. If the mildewed item is a seat cushion it; or the cover, may be washable. In that case check the padding for mildew as well and replace if needed.

Well now the patio furniture is clean, it is time to get to using it. So break out the grill, give it a good cleaning, replace any corroded parts and enjoy. Don't forget to invite some friends and family over to enjoy all your clean patio furniture with you.
Happy Summering!