With Summer in full swing, your outdoor furniture is likely getting more use than ever before. But among the family BBQ’s and garden get-togethers, when it comes to cleaning your outdoor furniture, it’s not the easiest to know where to start. Here are our top tips…

How to clean wooden garden furniture

Let’s start for those of you with wooden garden furniture…

The simplest method by far is wiping down your wooden furniture with a soapy bucket of household detergent and warm water.

Of course, if you’d rather stay away from detergents then a mix of vinegar and our old friend, bicarbonate of soda, would also do the job.

There are of course specific garden furniture cleaners if you’d prefer to take that route that remove not only a build-up of dirt, but any algae or moss that may of taken over!

Sometimes, for more stubborn patches, you may need to soak the area for a few minutes and scrub with a scrubbing brush to remove serious debris.

Once this is done, then simply rinse off with your garden hose and allow to dry.

It’s worth mentioning a few points here…

1. Ideally you would carry out your cleaning on a patio surface and away from any well loved planting areas, but if need be and you need to clean your furniture on a stretch of lawn or near any planting, then take some sensible precautions first and lay down a sheet or cover to protect them.
2. Prior to cleaning make your life a little easier by wiping away any obvious cobwebs or surface dirt.
3. Never, never, be tempted to use a pressure washer as this can damage your wood by stripping away any protective coatings but also even some of the timber itself.

Now if your wood is stained, then you may need a specific garden furniture cleaner to get the stains out, another option though of course is just to use a wood stain or oil to cover up the stain.

And that brings me nicely to ‘Once cleaned, do I need to oil or use sealants on my wooden garden furniture?’

In general, it’s best to check with your furniture’s manufacturer for when to oil or use sealants or varnish on your wooden garden furniture.

I will say though if your furniture is relatively new and made of oak, it’s best not to oil for a good number of years as oils can make the wood go black and pick up dirt and debris. After a good number of years, however, it is safe to oil as the surface grain should have lost its surface tannins.

Wooden furniture is often expensive, so properly maintaining your wooden outside space will make sure you can enjoy your furniture for many years to come.

How to clean cast-iron garden furniture

Next up, let’s talk about cleaning cast-iron garden furniture…

Due to the intricacies often attributed to cast iron furniture, it’s best to use a soft bristled brush to first remove any cobwebs and dirt – but it’s a good idea to test your brush on a small area first just to see how your furniture fairs!

Then proceed to clean with simple detergent and warm water. You might also find a smaller brush or even a toothbrush could come in handy at this point too, and if you find any areas of rust that you’re unhappy with, then these are easily dealt with by a light sanding, followed by treating with a rust resistant paint.

How to clean plastic garden furniture

Last but by no means least – plastic or plastic rattan garden furniture…

This is obviously the simplest of all to clean, and again a bucket of mild detergent and warm water is ideal and rinse off with your garden hose at the end.

But of course it’s always sensible to clean away any cobwebs and heavy dirt before you begin – let’s make things as easy as possible!

Post-clean routine for garden furniture

Remember to store your furniture somewhere dry throughout the winter months – if possible! – this could potentially prolong the life of your furniture as well as making it easier to clean when it’s time to bring it back into your garden.

Outdoor garden covers are a good alternative if storage is not an option and don’t forget your soft furnishings too. Outdoor storage boxes are ideal for these but so too are garages or a shed – just remember to wrap in waterproof coverings or zip lock bags to help protect them.

I hope you’ve gained a few simple ideas to help you clean your outdoor furniture! Check out our blog on how to clean your BBQ this summer.