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7 Simple Ways to Clean Your Patio Furniture



After a few summer BBQs, your patio furniture might be looking a little grubby. Depending on the material, it can also be a bit tricky to clean. Materials like wicker and rattan may look very stylish but they need care and attention when it comes to cleaning. You might even need to get the pressure washer out for tougher metal furniture and rust. Cleaning your patio furniture is a perfect bit of home maintenance to do on a summer’s day. Once you’ve finished it won’t take long to dry. Here are seven simple ways to clean your patio furniture. 



Teak

Teak is a little more delicate than plastic, metal, or other woods. In order to clean teak furniture, you can use a simple homemade recipe. Mix a cup of chlorine bleach and a cup of laundry detergent into a gallon of warm water. If you don’t have bleach you can use vinegar and water instead. Use a soft brush to clean off any stains.

Once you’ve cleaned your teak furniture you can give it a lick of polish. This will have it looking good as new. If you keep on top of cleaning it, this should prevent mildew and discoloration.



Wicker

Wicker is pretty easy to clean with a hoover. Vacuum up and debris or bugs and this should be an easy way to get any dust out from in between the weaving. You can also wash wicker. It’s strong enough to handle being doused by a standard garden hose, but if it’s particularly dirty use a sponge and some oil-based soap.

Avoid foam cleaners on wicker as it’s not good for the wood. Make sure you let your wicker furniture dry completely before using it, as this could damage it otherwise.



Rattan 

Cleaning rattan furniture is a little more difficult than cleaning wicker and the weaves are often tighter. Apply detergent to a small gentle brush to remove stains from your rattan furniture. If it’s not very dirty you could even use a toothbrush or a cloth. You can use simple dish soap to clean rattan, but not too much water. Use the suds part only.

Leave the rattan furniture to dry in the sun. If it’s not sunny that day, you could even use a hairdryer. Similar to wicker, it needs to be kept as dry as possible.


Cushions

Many people think it’s impossible to clean upholstery. Once you’ve got too many BBQ stains on those patio sofa cushions it’s game over. This isn’t the case however and there are simple tricks you can try. You can remove stains with a mix of one tsp of dish soap, 1 tsp borax, and a quart of warm water. Spray on the solution thoroughly then wait 15 mins for them to dry. After you’ve done this you can hose the cushions off.

Allow your cushions to dry completely in the sun before using them again. Once dry, the stains should be gone and your patio furniture will stay comfortable for longer. 



Cast iron 

Cast iron can be cleaned using warm water mild detergent. If it’s particularly dirty you might want to hose it down. After cleaning it’s important to dry it completely to prevent any more rust from developing.

If you have cast iron furniture you can find many tools to clean it online. If you’re interested in pneumatic tools and washes to clean the rest of your yard as well read review for the best options. 


Wrought iron

Wrought iron is lighter than cast iron, but it’s fairly low maintenance. You can also clean it with dish soap or detergent and warm water. In order to remove rust or smooth away chipped sections, you can use sandpaper. 

When you’re cleaning your iron furniture, take some time to pay attention to your bbq grill as well. Wipe down the grates thoroughly to ensure you have a clean surface to cook your family BBQs.


Plastic

It’s very easy to clean plastic lawn chairs. This is why they are often considered the cheapest and most low maintenance option, if though they might not look as good. Mix half a cup of baking soda, or alternatively three tbsp of dish soap with a gallon of water. 

You can use a brush to clean plastic furniture, or it’s particularly dirty even a pressure washer on a low setting. With regular cleaning, you should be able to maintain the brightness of the material a little while longer. The same goes for all your patio furniture. 

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